Gaetano Castrovilli, former Fiorentina midfielder and currently free, spoke about his long and troubled career, explaining why, despite the difficulties, he would never leave the city of Florence. The 29-year-old, who has suffered two cruciate injuries and several muscle failures, trains at the Figline Valdarno pitch, near Florence, and has expressed his desire to finish his career in that area, where he has found support and motivation. “It's no coincidence, it's in this city that has given me so much and I want to live and maybe finish my career here,” he declared.
Castrovilli said he changed agent in June, with the promise of a match in La Liga. The mistake, he admitted, was relying on that person, and for a month he has found himself with a new agency. “I only found out later that many teams didn't even know my situation,” he explained, underlining how the period of stalemate allowed him to take better care of himself. The player also admitted that he had thought about quitting several times, especially after his knee injury in 2022, but his family and his mental coach pushed him to continue. “The first time I thought about quitting, my wife Rachele and I found out we were expecting our son Brando,” he said, highlighting the importance of family motivation.
The relationship with the coach Vincenzo Italiano was fundamental for Castrovilli. The former player recalled how Italiano had reassured him after his first cruciate injury, saying: "It only happens to the strongest." This confidence pushed him to continue, and he expressed admiration for Italiano's playing philosophy, which his friend Dusan Vlahovic also followed. “I like how Italiano makes teams play, I always follow him and wish him good luck,” he declared, recalling Vlahovic's emotionality during a match against Inter.
As for Fiorentina, Castrovilli reiterated that he would never be willing to leave the team. “It was absolutely not a question of money, for me the fundamental thing is to have someone who believes in me,” he said. He also expressed regret for not being able to say goodbye to coach Franchi as he would have liked and for the difficulty of leaving the city. His fondest memory was the fans' ovation after a 0-0 match against Juventus, a moment that will remain indelible in his memory.
Finally, Castrovilli shared his future plans, wanting to return to playing in a fun way and experiencing the passion of football. "Going back to having fun and entertaining. And then, one night I dreamed that I was returning to Florence. I had number 10, I was captain," he said. With his experience and vision, the player hopes to return to contribute to Fiorentina's success, should the team decide to get back into the game.