‘His head isn’t right’: Antonio Cassano retires (again) after leaving Verona | Football

‘His head isn’t right’: Antonio Cassano retires (again) after leaving Verona | Football

Antonio Cassano has announced his decision to retire from football just a week after reversing his decision.

The 35-year-old joined Verona on 10 July but announced less than seven days later that he would be retiring, before he was persuaded to perform a dramatic U-turn within hours of making his decision public. Yet despite making two appearances in friendlies for Verona, the Serie B club’s president revealed on Monday that the veteran striker has left the club because “his head isn’t right”.

Cassano, who won 39 caps for Italy, has now confirmed he will not play again after initially hinting in a statement via his wife Carolina Marcialis that he would be looking for a new club.

“As opposed to what appeared on my wife’s official social profiles, I would like to clarify the following,” read the statement.

“Carolina was wrong, after thinking and reflecting in the end I decided. Antonio Cassano will not play football any more. I apologise to the city of Verona, to all the fans, to the president.

“For a 35-year-old man I need to be motivated and at this moment I feel that my priority is represented by being close to my children and my wife.”

Earlier on Monday the Verona president, Maurizio Setti, had confirmed Cassano’s departure with immediate effect. “This guy’s head isn’t right, even though he’s very good physically and athletically. He’ll leave,” Setti told ANSA.

“Professionally, you can’t accuse him of doing anything wrong. Evidently, he can’t remain serene and clearheaded in a group and wants to stay at home. There’s an up and a down with him, he talks and then he’s silent. It’s a shame because he was doing everything well in a professional sense.”

Cassano has been without a club since his contract with Sampdoria was terminated by mutual consent in January 2015.

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