Former Italy goalkeeper Federico Marchetti said that his friendship with Ħamrun Spartans coach Luciano Zauri, the vision of club president Joseph Porteli and the opportunity of playing Champions League football lured him to the Malta champions.

Last summer, the 40-year-old was on the brink of hanging up his boots after his former club Spezia lost the play-out with Verona and were relegated to Serie B.

However, a couple of dinners with his old friend Luciano Zauri all but changed everything for the former Lazio goalkeeper who took the opportunity of starting a new experience in Maltese football at Ħamrun Spartans.

“Everything started a week or ten days before the play-out between Spezia and Verona. Coaching Ħamrun Spartans was my old friend Luciano Zauri with whom I had a bit lost contact,” Marchetti told tuttomercatoweb.

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