Speaking exclusively with Tribalfootball, Newcastle United left-back Achraf Lazaar has opened up on life at Serie A club Benevento.
The Morocco international joined the Campania club on a season-long loan deal on transfer deadline day following a horrendous debut season at St. James' Park, in which he made just four league appearances.
After spending four years with Palermo, Lazaar says he is relishing being back playing in his naturalised home.
"I think I know Italian football well, because I've spent four years in Palermo, from where I have some important and beautiful memories," said Lazaar.
"I have come back to Italy to find again minutes, to play more minutes and even to give my contribution to Benevento.
"They needed me and I needed them to make something important: I came to Benevento because I needed to play and they decided to bet on me because they wanted a good player, an important name."
The newly-promoted side are enduring an incredibly tough debut season in the Italian top-flight. But last month, having lost their first 14 games of the season, goalkeeper Alberto Brignoli managed to score a late equaliser against AC Milan to secure their first points of the season.
Despite not taking part in the match due to an ongoing knee injury, Lazaar was delighted for his teammates and the game's hero, Brignoli.
"Of course it has been a very special week for us," he continued. "When you are at zero points, what's more important is to make the first one.
"We worked out and taking the first point against a team like Milan is even more special. And it was really unbelievable that this first point has been given to us by our goalkeeper: Alberto Brignoli is our hero!
"I can't tell you how my teammates have greeted him because I'm not in Benevento. I'm in Barcelona to recover from my knee injury. But I'm always in contact with them, we communicated a lot on our group on chat; even on the web Brignoli is become a star."
Make sure you visit Tribalfootballon Friday to read Emanuele Giulianelli's full interview with Achraf Lazaar.
