ONefootball.com reports
Passport wrangle prevents Veron return to Italy
Thursday 7th February 2002
Manchester United midfielder Juan Sebastian Veron has ruled out a return to Lazio because of the passport problems he endured during his spell with the club.
There was renewed speculation this week that Veron was angling for a move back to the Serie A club after watching them play AC Milan on Sunday.
However, both Veron and Manchester United denied the rumours and the midfielder explained on Thursday that he could not go back to Italy because of the passport row in which he was embroiled before leaving.
He said: "I am fine here [in Manchester]. I have a contract and it never entered my mind that I could go back to Lazio because of the passport problems I had there. Everyone knows about it, although I can understand that some people like to invent news."
He added that he also prefers the English style of football to that played in Serie A. He said: "English football is different to Italian. There is not so much emphasis on the defence and teams always try to get from one box to the other as quickly as possible."
Veron cited the passport row as the reason why he wanted to leave Lazio. He was granted Italian citizenship in 1999 on the basis of a great-great-grandfather who was born in southern Italy and emigrated to Argentina a century ago.
But the Italian authorities disputed the claims and alleged that Lazio and the player concocted the story to get round rules limiting the number of non-European Union players allowed at each club.
Veron said in March 2001 that he was fed up with the whole affair and would like to try a new challenge. "I'm not sure if I want to keep playing for Lazio after what has happened with the passport case," said Veron. "For this reason I would like to try a new experience away from Italy."
The midfielder was cleared of the allegations in June while Lazio director Felice Pulici was banned for a year for his involvement in the scandal. Club president Sergio Cragnotti and director of sport Nello Governato were acquitted of charges against them.
Passport wrangle prevents Veron return to Italy
Thursday 7th February 2002
Manchester United midfielder Juan Sebastian Veron has ruled out a return to Lazio because of the passport problems he endured during his spell with the club.
There was renewed speculation this week that Veron was angling for a move back to the Serie A club after watching them play AC Milan on Sunday.
However, both Veron and Manchester United denied the rumours and the midfielder explained on Thursday that he could not go back to Italy because of the passport row in which he was embroiled before leaving.
He said: "I am fine here [in Manchester]. I have a contract and it never entered my mind that I could go back to Lazio because of the passport problems I had there. Everyone knows about it, although I can understand that some people like to invent news."
He added that he also prefers the English style of football to that played in Serie A. He said: "English football is different to Italian. There is not so much emphasis on the defence and teams always try to get from one box to the other as quickly as possible."
Veron cited the passport row as the reason why he wanted to leave Lazio. He was granted Italian citizenship in 1999 on the basis of a great-great-grandfather who was born in southern Italy and emigrated to Argentina a century ago.
But the Italian authorities disputed the claims and alleged that Lazio and the player concocted the story to get round rules limiting the number of non-European Union players allowed at each club.
Veron said in March 2001 that he was fed up with the whole affair and would like to try a new challenge. "I'm not sure if I want to keep playing for Lazio after what has happened with the passport case," said Veron. "For this reason I would like to try a new experience away from Italy."
The midfielder was cleared of the allegations in June while Lazio director Felice Pulici was banned for a year for his involvement in the scandal. Club president Sergio Cragnotti and director of sport Nello Governato were acquitted of charges against them.
