Former Chievo and Bologna star Massimo Marazzina looks back on his career

With #BFCChievo fast approaching, Massimo Marazzina is a player who represented both clubs and he sent a special message to the Rossoblu supporters as he took a break from his post-retirement life in Miami. “The penalty I scored against Pisa which brought us back into Serie A will stay with me forever,” he said. “As will the affection from the people when we had the parade that year. When you place the ball on the spot and the stakes are so high, I can assure you that it really weighs on you.”

After coming through at Inter, Chievo and Bologna were the clubs were the Conte Max made the majority of his appearances. “I spent six years in Verona and arrived at Chievo when they were in Serie B,” he added. “In Serie B, President Campedelli laid the foundations for a good period for the Gialloblu. Our Chievo side began to make itself known, my first seasons were a launching pad for a good future in Serie A and that thankfully led to me playing three times for Italy. I had lots of strike partners from the Cossato brothers to Bernardo Corradi. My main memory from Chievo was the winning goal at the San Siro against Inter in December 2001.”

Three years later came Marazzina’s adventure at Bologna. “I’m proud of that time,” he said. “In the end I scored 45 goals for the Rossoblu which is not a bad amount. When Chievo returned to Serie A, I scored twice for Arrigoni’s Bologna as we beat them 4-0 and in the end we were both promoted.”

After Bologna, Marazzina enjoyed a change of scenery. “I moved to Florida where my two daughters were born,” he went on. “Here in Miami, I have some special friends as they are a lot of former Serie A players here. Every evening I play Beach Soccer with Bobo Vieri, Bombardini and Marcio Amoroso is also around here. You have to keep yourself fit because you can’t let yourself go if you’re spending the whole year in your swimming costume!”