Federico Balzaretti is ready to face his past as his Palermo side travel to Fiorentina tomorrow and he is expecting a busy evening.
The former Juventus defender left the Viola to move to Sicily in January – just six months after arriving at the Stadio Artemio Franchi.
Now, Balzaretti will be looking to scupper his former side’s bid for Champions League football, but he has the utmost respect for the opposition.
“It won’t be easy because we are taking on a very strong side who are having an excellent year,” he told Palermo’s official website.
“They are a team that work very hard during the week and deserve what they are getting, especially after finishing with over 70 points for the last three seasons.
“The Viola have a united group with great champions like Sebastien Frey, Tomas Ujfalusi, Fabio Liverani, Riccardo Montolivo and a top Coach in Cesare Prandelli.
“We will find ourselves up against a very attacking formation and we need to make sure they don’t play their game if we want to win.
“It will be like the game against Juventus. If we go to Florence to defend then we will concede, but if we try and surprise them and take it to them then we can do well.”
Balzaretti expressed frustration when he left Fiorentina having being frozen out of Prandelli’s first-team plans, but he insists that there is no bad blood between the two men.
“I played a few games at the start of the season, but I didn’t suit the Coach and I ended up in the stands, so I asked to be sold,” he explained.
“I don’t have any hard feelings. Prandelli has his ideas and I respect them.”
