Inter defender Robin Gosens admits he struggled to settle in at Atalanta and reveals Gian Piero Gasperini told him that joining Inter was the right choice for his career.
The Germany international signed with the defending Serie A champions in January, leaving Bergamo after four and a half years. He has become one of the best defenders in the league, although his rapport with Gasperini hasn’t always been ideal.
“The start was difficult. The coach didn’t trust me at the beginning. I didn’t speak Italian, and I felt excluded. I didn’t understand what the coach wanted from me,” he told DAZN Deutschland.
“One of my teammates sustained an injury before a game against Borussia Dortmund, so the coach was forced to play me. That’s when things changed.
“I learned so much from Gasperini, he is a genius. We haven’t always had a great rapport, but then things changed. He told me that he never coached a player who has improved so much and that joining Inter was the right decision.”
Gosens played his last game with Atalanta in September 2021 and spent the last few months at the club on the sidelines because of a severe hamstring injury.
“It was the lowest point of my career, it took four months and a half to recover and when I was close to returning, I got injured again.
“It was tough mentally, but I’ve never doubted my body. I’ve studied psychology and it was helpful to organise the chaos that I had in my mind. Injuries are part of the game, the most important thing is to face them and come back stronger.
“I could have played at Atalanta forever, but Inter was a unique chance,” he continued.
“Ivan Perisic is having a great season and I am convinced that the challenge with him will help him somehow.
“I couldn’t say goodbye to Atalanta fans properly. I owe a lot to the club and it was sad to leave without playing in front of fans again.”