Wednesday 12 August 2015 14:04, UK
Roma defender Federico Balzaretti has announced his retirement due to injury but plans to remain with the club in a new management role at the club.
The 33-year-old, capped 16 times by Italy, has been battling a pelvic injury for the past two years and managed only one appearance last season in a 2-1 loss against his former club Palermo on May 31.
"Unfortunately, my groin does not allow me to do what I love the most," he said in a press conference. "It was a difficult decision to make but I was forced to do it."
Balzaretti joined Roma from Palermo in 2012 and enjoyed a strong first season. However, he was diagnosed with athletic pubalgia - a sports hernia - after the match against Sassuolo in November 2013, and did not play again until the final match of last season - which has proved to be his last.
Balzaretti, who had stints at Torino, Juventus and Fiorentina, will now take on a role looking after young Roma players who are sent out on loan, and with the club's support he plans to work toward moving into becoming a sports director in the future.
"I am very motivated," he said. "I cannot wait to start this new adventure. My new role is very close to my heart. I will look after the guys who are away on loan because I believe it is an important step in the career of every player."
