Midfielder who left Benfica for PSG says: I never regret my choices | OneFootball

Cher Ndour looked back on his spell at Benfica while reflecting on his career and explained the reasons that led him to swap Atalanta for the Lisbon club while still in the youth ranks. At 21, the Italian midfielder is preparing to begin his second full season with Fiorentina, after a breakthrough campaign in which he recorded 47 appearances, seven goals and three assists for the Viola.

The player also used the interview to revisit the most memorable moments of his still short career, which has already included Benfica, whom he left on a free transfer for PSG. Having spent seven years developing at Atalanta, he revealed that he even turned down an offer from Juventus before choosing Benfica’s project, a decision he insists he has never doubted. The interview was given to Gazzetta dello Sport.

"Because of my character, I tend to stand still, I need stimulation. Benfica works well with young players, and I also accepted thanks to my parents, who supported me. The first few months were difficult, there was the Covid-19 pandemic and we did everything by video call..." he said.

The midfielder also explained that he never regretted moving to Lisbon, although he acknowledged that the more comfortable option would have been to stay in Bergamo: "I never regret the choices I make. At that time, staying at Atalanta, where I had joined the academy at 10, was the obvious thing to do. I was too young to move into a boarding school," he admitted.

During the interview, Ndour also recalled one of the most memorable moments of his time at Benfica: qualifying for the final of the UEFA Youth League after eliminating Juventus in a penalty shootout: "Then, I beat Juventus on penalties in the Youth League semi-final with Benfica and, this year, I scored in Turin: the greatest joy, together with the goal against Inter, perhaps a little more because of the historic rivalry between the ultras."

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.