JUST HOURS AFTER announcing his retirement Antonio Cassano made a dramatic U-Turn on his plans to hang up his boots earlier today.
The striker signed for recently promoted Serie A side Hellas Verona at the beginning of last week before announcing his retirement from the game earlier today.
However this afternoon, just hours later, the former Italy international told a press conference that he had suffered a change of heart and was very much looking forward to next season.
Verona were due to announce the signing of Thomas Heurtaux from Udinese before tweeting that instead Cassano would face the media, where he announced his un-retirement.
“It was a time of great weakness. This morning I had a meeting to say that I wanted to pull off”, he is quoted in Gazetta dello Sport.
“But thanks to the tenacity this of gentleman, Filippo Fusco (sporting director), thanks to the President, thanks to my wife and my children, I want to continue.”
Cassano did not play a single game in 2016/17 while at Sampdoria having fallen out with controversial club president Massimo Ferrero. Rather than find a new club the player agreed to train with the club’s youth team.
Cassano re-joined Sampdoria in 2015 following stints at AC Milan, Inter and Parma after departing in 2008.
In the crowning moment of his career, the player was the standout performer for Italy at Euro 2004, earning a move to Real Madrid in 2006 where he scored just two goals during a tumultuous period at the Bernabeu.
Cassano scored the opening goal against Ireland in a 2-0 defeat to Italy at Euro 2012 and retired from the national team following their exit from the World Cup two years later.
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I remember him breaking through at bari when he was a teenager, back in the football Italia on channel 4 days. Turned out to be a right head the ball. Great talent tho, and very entertaining
Was probably expecting a decent mls offer only for it to fall trough
Money talks or Cassano walks
https://youtu.be/CwZn4vtIA7s Hi first Serie A goal, last minute winner against inter
This is the same guy with weight issues right ? If so I remember him being fined for every gram he was overweight. Apparantly chocolate croissants was the crux of the issue