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Vieri: It's good to be back!
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Christian Vieri is celebrating his return to training with Atalanta and next week could play his first game in a year.
“After 12 months out of action, I have to say it is wonderful to be here and I am very happy. I really missed playing football,” he told RAI Sport. The former Milan, Inter and Lazio striker has had a very troubled couple of years due to a succession of injuries and contractual controversy.
He left the Nerazzurri by mutual consent only to join their city rivals on a free transfer, but that spell lasted just six months. A move to Monaco was also disappointing, as he picked up a knee injury in March that ruled him out of the 2006 World Cup.
Vieri returned to Italy in the summer, although he terminated his contract with Sampdoria just weeks after putting pen to paper and without taking part in a single training session. Since switching to Atalanta for a minimum wage contract, the Italian international has not yet made an official appearance due to those injuries that at last seem to be behind him.
“It is very important for me to be back training with my teammates. I saw Professor Marc Maertens on Friday and he gave me the all-clear.” Vieri’s contract expires at the end of this season, but he is confident Atalanta will not let this troubled campaign put an end to his Stadio Azzurri d’Italia stay.
“I think it is right that everyone make their own considerations and try to get the best deal, but the greatest thing of all is to play – something everybody wants,” continued the star who will turn 34 in July. “The key thing is that I am back with the squad, then at the end of the season I’ll talk to the club about a renewal, but I don’t expect there to be any problems.”
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Christian Vieri is celebrating his return to training with Atalanta and next week could play his first game in a year.
“After 12 months out of action, I have to say it is wonderful to be here and I am very happy. I really missed playing football,” he told RAI Sport. The former Milan, Inter and Lazio striker has had a very troubled couple of years due to a succession of injuries and contractual controversy.
He left the Nerazzurri by mutual consent only to join their city rivals on a free transfer, but that spell lasted just six months. A move to Monaco was also disappointing, as he picked up a knee injury in March that ruled him out of the 2006 World Cup.
Vieri returned to Italy in the summer, although he terminated his contract with Sampdoria just weeks after putting pen to paper and without taking part in a single training session. Since switching to Atalanta for a minimum wage contract, the Italian international has not yet made an official appearance due to those injuries that at last seem to be behind him.
“It is very important for me to be back training with my teammates. I saw Professor Marc Maertens on Friday and he gave me the all-clear.” Vieri’s contract expires at the end of this season, but he is confident Atalanta will not let this troubled campaign put an end to his Stadio Azzurri d’Italia stay.
“I think it is right that everyone make their own considerations and try to get the best deal, but the greatest thing of all is to play – something everybody wants,” continued the star who will turn 34 in July. “The key thing is that I am back with the squad, then at the end of the season I’ll talk to the club about a renewal, but I don’t expect there to be any problems.”
