Former Fiorentina player Marco Marchionni, who played for the club from 2009 to 2012, paid a visit to the Rocco B. Commisso Viola Park and talked about his memories, his past as well as his future.

Marco Marchionni, thank you for coming here to the Viola Park. How does it feel to be here?

“It means a lot. It’s nice to see how things have evolved since I used to play. They’ve done a great job, something that is rare. We used to train at Campini and now it’s all completely different. The club has provided a truly impressive facility that can help reach the very best results.”

What would you have liked to have available from the Viola Park back when you played?

“This. If we had had all this with [Cesare] Prandelli, we would’ve achieved even more.”

How can having something like this affect young players?

“Unfortunately, there are few clubs like Fiorentina in Italy. If a young player grows up playing for Fiorentina’s youth teams and then joins another team, he’ll probably feel a bit lost. Here he has all the tools he needs to grow up well. However, that can’t be said about many other clubs. So joining a different team can also be dangerous because a player could be used to all the great things this club has to offer and then end up in a club that doesn’t have that.

How difficult is it to play away against an English team?

“Playing against English teams is always tough. However, I think that playing anywhere today is challenging because many teams and countries have grown and developed. In the past, you’d encounter one, two or three very good teams, while today everything is harder wherever you go.”

So it wasn’t as hard when you used to play?

“No, it was because there were certain types of players, but you could either be up against teams that were just too good or teams that you could beat. Now, on the other hand, any team can win, everyone has a chance.

What’s your best memory as a player?

“When we won at home against Liverpool: I remember seeing the fans celebrating and being so happy. They couldn’t believe what we’d done. Winning the second leg 2-1 at Anfield was also a huge joy.”