Parma, 7 September 2021 – After today’s training session, new signing Danilo spoke to the press at Collecchio.
“My first impressions are good. The boys are hungry to perform under a coach with plenty of innovative ideas. We’re hoping to continue our decent start on Sunday. Are we favourites? On paper, perhaps; Serie B is different to Serie A, though. You need to know when to drop deep; it’s a different style of football. This team is coming together now. We have a few foreign players; I arrived on deadline day in the transfer window, as did a few others. We’re in a period of growth right now.”
“Negotiations didn’t take long but Parma had been interested for a couple of months. The status of this shirt and the history of the Club made the decision easy. Playing with Buffon is a privilege. What I can do here is set an example by training at the max. When a period of difficulty comes, it’s up to the veterans to lay down a marker by giving that calm needed to get Parma back to Serie A.”
“From what I’ve heard in recent days, Serie B has been really open in recent years. I’ve watched a few games and there are a few decent teams. Parma need to prove themselves to be a team as soon as possible. Winning at the death against Benevento means a lot; it’s sure to give this group a lot of energy. I trained in Brazil; I played my last game in May but I don’t have any issues with my weight. I’m fit. I need to speak with the coach; if he needs me, I have to be ready.”
“It’s tough to pick just one great player that I have played with. Some of the younger guys I played with at Udinese have gone on to have great careers, such as Zielinski, Allan, Muriel and Bruno Fernandes – but Di Natale was there as well. I played with a great champion in Palacio while I was at Bologna. I have always rated Dzeko; he’s the complete forward. I enjoyed myself a lot in Udine; there’s a calm atmosphere at Udinese, like here where good players are given time to develop.”
“I have a lot of respect for Lucarelli, who was one of the greatest captains of this Club, as well as for Bruno Alves, who is still playing. I’m here to continue their work but also to bring something a little bit different – that’s why Parma brought me in.”
