Fiorentina midfielder Milan Badejl talks extensively of the 'enormous leap' he underwent from German to Italian football.
The 26-year-old is one of the revelations in Vincenzo Montella's resurgent Viola team, and he believes he is finally coming into his own now that he has a better grasp of his surroundings.
“I always liked Italian football,” he said, in an interview with La Nazione. “Now that I'm here I understand that it's necessary to think in advance.
Fiorentina midfielder Milan Badejl talks extensively of the 'enormous leap' he underwent from German to Italian football.
The 26-year-old is one of the revelations in Vincenzo Montella's resurgent Viola team, and he believes he is finally coming into his own now that he has a better grasp of his surroundings.
“I always liked Italian football,” he said, in an interview with La Nazione. “Now that I'm here I understand that it's necessary to think in advance.
“For me the challenge is ongoing. I need great technique and speed all at the same time.
“I learnt new ways of running to create and close spaces according to what the team needed, bearing in mind the movements of my teammates as well as my own.
“But this is only the beginning for me and my teammates.”
Badejl spent the entirety of his professional career in the Bundesliga and the Croatian First League before coming to Italy, and he admits the change surprised him.
“For me the leap from Germany to this country was enormous. It took quite a while to learn the tactics here.
“In fact, I'm still studying the movements, the distances, the mechanisms.
“At first I felt held back, squashed. Perhaps I was afraid of making mistakes because I was thinking about too many things at the same time.
“I feel much better now though, and I play with greater serenity.
“There have been difficult times, but even then I was convinced I'd made the right decision and I was doing my best to adapt and improve.
“After all, a footballer has no alternatives – if he gets demoralised, he ends up even more marginalised.”
The Croatian then went on to discuss his own tactical preferences.
“When I'm employed as a winger I can press forward, and I like that.
“As a playmaker my role is very different, but in the end I don't think it matters because I think I've finally understood Italian football in general.
“What matters to me is being chosen by the Coach, the position doesn't matter.”