Fabrizio Ravanelli had a one-year spell at Middlesbrough between 1996 and 1997.
The attacker had arrived from Juventus and made quite an impact in England. He found the net 32 times, also assisting eight times while playing 50 games.
Those were truly impressive numbers but they didn’t stop Middlesbrough from getting relegated on the last day of the campaign.
Now, the 57-year-old has opened up about the switch to Boro from Juve and believes that it wasn’t the best decision to make at the time.
In a chat with TuttoSport, he said: “Middlesbrough was a misstep for me. A downsizing. It’s not a club with winning DNA. At Lazio, however, things went much better and I returned to winning, but nothing ever took Juve out of my mind.”
The former striker added further background to the switch to Middlesbrough, explaining those in power at Juventus has pushed him towards Boro.
“I felt betrayed by the management at the time. They sold me without telling me anything, but I still had three years left on my contract. I could stay, dig in my heels, prove I could be reborn at Juve.”
Ravanelli clarified that the Old Lady accepted an offer from Middlesbrough before he’d even had chance to make an informed decision.
“Umberto Agnelli, shortly before the sale, let me into his office, telling me that one day I could become captain. I had goosebumps. But then, after the final in Rome, they had already organised everything with Middlesbrough, and I chose to accept purely out of revenge.”
Ravanelli also said he would love to work with Juventus at some point in the future.
“How can I say no? Of course. I’m thinking about it, it’s a dream. I don’t know in what capacity, but I’d like to represent Juve around the world.”
Juventus betrayal ahead of Middlesbrough transfer
Middlesbrough transfer was a career misstep, believes Fabrizio Ravanelli
Middlesbrough transfer was a career misstep, believes Fabrizio Ravanelli
Juve’s betrayal is the key reason why Ravanelli wasn’t a fan of his time at Riverside. Relegation from the Premier League in 1997 probably didn’t help his Middlesbrough memories.
The Italian had built a strong reputation of being a reliable goalscorer in Serie A. In the season before he came to England, Ravanelli scored 19 times in all competitions for Juve.
He also won the Champions League in 1996 and had high hopes for the future. That is perhaps why Middlesbrough was the wrong club for him at the time, even if he became a cult hero.