Hellas Verona midfielder Alessio Cerci admits he regrets his move to Atletico Madrid.

Cerci has battled to recover after leaving Torino for Atletico, though is hoping for a fresh start with Serie A new boys Hellas Verona.

He told Gazzetta dello Sport: "The story started badly from the start when I came to Madrid on 1 September, unprepared, because Torino was slow to do the operation.

"I've been through a lot of things, but I do not want to fuel the controversy."

He continued: "For sure, if I could go back I would not go to Atletico, it's a choice that cost a lot. I lost so much on a human level ... the affection of many fans in Turin, who loved me and who told me it was a bad choice to go to Spain.

"I wanted to play in the Champions League. I wanted to make a jump in my career."