Antonio Cassano retires from football a week after joining Verona — only to reverse decision just hours later
Former Italy international, 35, enjoyed bonkers day after being given 'final chance' at newly-promoted Serie A side
MUCH like his entire career, Antonio Cassano has enjoyed a bonkers day.
First, he announces his retirement from football — just eight days after being given his “final chance” by newly-promoted Verona.
And then, the former Italy international goes back on his decision after being talked around by staff at his new club.
Speaking about what, as things stand, is his final decision, he said: “This morning’s announcement was a moment of great weakness.
“I’d had a meeting with [director] Fabio [Pecchia] and everyone else to tell them I wanted to stop.
“I had a real low moment.
“However, thanks to the tenacity of this man: Fabio, as well as the president, thanks to my wife, my children, I want to continue and show I can still do it.”
Cassano looked set to quit football after playing no part in the 2016-17 season following Sampdoria's decision to not even hand him a squad number.
But Verona — who returned to Serie A a year after being relegated — have offered the 35-year-old one last chance in football.
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Cassano shot to prominence at Bari when, as a 19-year-old, he scored a sensational last minute winner against Inter Milan back in 1999.
He became the world’s most-expensive teenager when he joined Italian champions Roma for around £20million in 2001.
But, despite his huge potential, he regularly clashed with team-mates and was often dropped.
Cassano had a massive opportunity when he was signed by Real Madrid in 2006, but he arrived so overweight, he earned the nickname “Gordito” — The Little Fat One.
He then fell out with boss Fabio Capello and was suspended before eventually being sold onto Sampdoria.
Back in Italy, he showed some of the best form of his career and helped the club qualify for the Champions League in 2010.
However, it wasn’t long until he again fell out with the club’s hierarchy and he saw his contract terminated in January 2011, allowing him to join AC Milan.
He won the first league title of his career with the Rossoneri that season, but requested to leave at the end of the following campaign after Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Thiago Silva were sold to Paris Saint-Germain.
Cassano joined Inter Milan, but lasted just 12 months before signing for Parma.
It was here where he produced arguably the best performances of his career as the club finished an impressive sixth despite the backdrop of bankruptcy.
He was forced to leave in 2015 as the club went into liquidation and returned to Sampdoria.
However, just one season later he was excluded from the first team.
Cassano went on to join Verona and contributed an assist on his pre-season debut.
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