Guglielmo Vicario has shed light on his three seasons at Tottenham Hotspur and has opened up on his relationship with Roberto De Zerbi.
Vicario has made a loan move to Juventus, who have an option to buy the goalkeeper for £8.5m next summer.
The writing was on the wall for the 29-year-old at Spurs as soon as he was replaced by Antonin Kinsky as the number one at the end of last season.
The experienced goalkeeper came in for plenty of criticism during the final campaign in North London, but he did have some good moments, helping the club to a fifth-place finish in his first campaign and being part of a Europa League-winning team in his second.
Guglielmo Vicario admits time at Tottenham has helped him mature
Irrespective of how things may have gone on the pitch, the Italy international always conducted himself with professionalism and class off it.
He has unsurprisingly done the same following his exit. He confessed that while some dynamics were not aligned at Tottenham, he insisted that his experience in North London made him a better goalkeeper.
When asked about how his time at Tottenham ended, Vicario told TuttoSport: “I don’t like to talk about the past or what should or could have been done. There were some dynamics that didn’t align, probably for various reasons that don’t make sense to mention now. I want to focus on the present and try to maintain balance in this new adventure.”
“I hope I can say I’m more mature and more aware, with a different set of experiences. Going abroad opens you up: you experience different cultures, languages, situations, different dressing rooms, different methodologies.
“I’ll definitely arrive more complete, even if without the path I’ve taken previously it wouldn’t have been possible. I’m arriving at a club with a huge history, structure, and ambition, and this will be the challenge that drives me every day.”
Vicario insists he has a ‘fantastic’ relationship with Roberto De Zerbi
De Zerbi was the man responsible for dropping Vicario, with the Italian coach choosing to trust Kinsky during Tottenham’s relegation battle.
However, Vicario insists that his relationship with his compatriot was strong, praising him for his directness and for keeping his word.
When asked how he found working with De Zerbi, the goalkeeper said: “What was our relationship like? Fantastic, from day one. I thank him; I did so personally the day I signed with Juventus.
“He was a genuine, direct person with me, and above all, a man of his word. He gave me the opportunity to take this step I had in mind; he supported me, and I will always be grateful.”