Even Daniele De Rossi will be sad to see the end of Goodison Park. The Italian football icon and current Roma boss revealed his admiration for the stadium after the 1-1 draw between his side and Everton on Saturday.
The Serie A giants were the visitors for what was the final friendly game ever to be played at the venue, with the Blues set to leave their iconic home at the end of the campaign.
Speaking to Everton’s club channels after the game, the former tough-tackling midfielder shared his love for traditional stadium and said he was pleased he could sample some of the Goodison atmosphere before the big move.
“I really enjoyed it because it was one of the last stadiums I missed to play at when I was a player or a coach,” he said after the draw.
“I was so happy to be here to discover this atmosphere,” he said. “When I saw matches here on television it was easy to recognise the passion of the fans. But here from the bench it was unbelievable. I’m so happy for this experience.
“I’m curious to see the new one (stadium) but I always like the old stuff – the old atmosphere, the old stadiums in England, like in Italy. So good luck for the new building and good luck for the season!”
De Rossi spent 18 years at Roma and amassed an incredible 117 caps for Italy in a stellar career. He succeeded the sacked Jose Mourinho as manager of the Giallorossi in January on a temporary basis, but had his contract extended after a successful end to the campaign.
