Bad boy? No, just Zaniolo. Return and desire for redemption: "This is my family. Let's win the Conference"

Don't call him a bad boy, don't even try. That expression, Nicolo Zaniolo, doesn't want to hear her name anymore. Also because now that he's back home ("In my family, the one that saw me go away when I was sixteen and finds me today at 25"), the number 17 of the Fiorentina he just wants to dedicate himself to what could be the most important step of his career: "I know what I'm worth. I know what I can give" reiterated the '99-born player: "The nickname "hothead" doesn't belong to me, it was pinned on me from outside. I've always felt good in all the places I've been, except for the way I left Roma".

So for her, Zaniolo, Florence is special... "After many years I found a lot of people I knew. Nobody has changed and that's why I'm excited. I thank the directors who believed in me from day one".

So why did he choose to go to Atalanta in the summer, despite the Viola's interest? "In June I had these two options in front of me and in the end I chose to go to Bergamo, but since I wasn't playing much and Fiorentina never stopped looking for me, I opted to change shirts".

What happened in 2016? Why did he leave Florence? "It was a decision of the old club: perhaps it was my fortune because here I was closed and at Virtus Entella I began to demonstrate my value".

Have you already set yourself a goal for your second experience in Florence?Win the Conference, why not. We've come close to it twice in recent years and, as they say, maybe the third chance is the right one. This is a strong group, that's why we shouldn't set ourselves limits, including that of going to the Champions League".

How do you see yourself in this Fiorentina? "I can also play as a first striker but my natural role is that of right winger. Then... I know I'm coming into a compact dressing room: with Inter, despite us having difficulty in terms of the squad, it seemed like we were playing with thirteen".

In the meantime he will meet his friend Kean again… "A brother, I want to make him celebrate as soon as possible. I'm not surprised by his performance".

In Bergamo, however, there was talk of a less than idyllic relationship with Gasperini… "I've never had any problems with the coach, in fact he's improved me. He's had his ideas but I don't see this experience as a revenge against him".

A curiosity: can you explain the choice of the number 17 shirt? "It was the favorite number of a young Galatasaray fan who died in the earthquake that hit Turkey: it was his father who asked me to use it and I decided to wear it here too". Anything but a bad boy.