“It’s something you never forget, you never forget anything about that day. It was magical. NoNobody imagines scoring three goals in such an important match, it was wonderful for me and for all the fans. In Palermo I felt at home, the fans gave me an incredible passion.” Interviewed by Sicilian newspaper the playmaker, currently free, Javier Pastore he speaks thus of the hat-trick scored against Catania in a historic derby at Barbera played just 14 years ago: “I have wonderful memories of Zamparini, with him I had experiences never experienced with any other president, he loved my way of playing and everything that I did everything right for him, even when I was wrong.”
Then there is room for other unforgettable memories such as the Italian Cup final lost against Inter in 2011: “Winning it would have been the icing on the cakean enormous joy. My whole family was there in Rome, it’s unforgettable. I get goosebumps just thinking about it.”
Pastore then focuses on the Rosanero’s current season: “The team seems to be better off away from home than at home, the results say so, but it must be said that Serie B is very complicated. But I believe they can move up the rankings and I believe he has all it takes to make the leap in quality. – continues the Argentine – It is normal that the fans want to return to Serie A immediately, the way they are working they will arrive in Serie A before people expect it. I’m sure that Palermo will return to being great in Italy”.
Finally, a thought on one’s present and future: “The surgery I underwent in February was successful and now I don’t have any kind of pain and I feel great. I could have tried to go back to playing football, but mentally I wasn’t ready and I said enough. I’m happy and I’m studying to start a new experience off the pitch as a sports director”.