“When Raiola died, some vultures tried to steal Haaland from us” – Corriere.it

For twenty years she has been alongside Mino Raiola and supported him in managing some of the strongest (and paid) players in the world. And when the king of prosecutors died on April 30 this year, she inherited the agency and the pack of players to manage, including Haaland, Pogba, Ibrahimovic, Balotelli, De Vrij and De Ligt. become the most influential woman in football, but perhaps she was before. Even if few knew it. After months of silence, he spoke in England, to the Telegraph, telling of a privileged relationship with Raiola, but also of the difficulties in taking the reins of the company and staying on course, dribbling the jackals who tried to take advantage of the inevitable settlement due to to transition.

Because everything changed when Raiola passed away. I was in the Manchester City headquarters – she says – to define Haaland’s transfer from Borussia Dortmund. In a few moments, chaos: cell phones ringing (even my mother tried to call me) and she who first denies: I said “false, false, calm down”. And everyone calmed down, but I obviously wasn’t calm. I couldn’t be calm. I had to close the deal for Erling. I had been there for a week and I said: “People are watching us, we have to finish today. Mino is getting tired, I can feel it ”. The following days were even more challenging:
I went straight from his funeral to the office because I didn’t expect the universe to stop. Maybe I should have put my life on pause, but the players obviously loved Mino, they needed reassurance. There was business at stake, I couldn’t go home to cry.

Also because the hardest part would come a little later, with the sadness of the loss of Mino on one hand and the need to take the helm of the boat. But also with the support of other super-agents: People like Jonathan Barnett, Jorge Mendes and Roger Wittmann. If I had to put into words the amount of support I received from them, I would need one day. They have been great. I was happy that they wanted to help me even though I didn’t need it, but it was a gesture that I appreciated. One of them said, “If anyone comes to talk and use my name, tell them to go to that country.” Then there are other good agents, but also a bunch of thugs who have called the players. One called Benitez the day Mino died. And Wanda, his wife, stood up and yelled at him, “You should be ashamed.” Before Mino died, some vultures called Erling Haaland, Paul Pogba and many others. Now he calls them a bunch of scoundrels.

People find it very difficult to understand that Mino is no longer there and in his place there is a woman. And he explains how macho is the world of football: I’ve heard many men, when the worst comes, when they fail to win in an argument, humiliate me and say I don’t know about football. I reply: “You don’t need to know football to tell you that you have to pay the prize to my player”. I’ve seen men try to demean me, try to make me lose self-esteem to win in a negotiation. And he also explains how Raiola has tried in more than one circumstance to unhinge the system: Many times Mino entered a meeting introducing me: “You are my boss”. Kidding, but what he meant was: “Not me you have to convince, but her.” He was exaggerating, but he was putting the issue of equality on the table. She knew how difficult it was going to be for me as a woman. She went out of her way to make people understand.

From there, a strong and effective communication choice: The scene was: there is a Brazilian immigrant and there is a fat and poorly dressed Italian. Together we decided that Mino would be the front man, he would go to the meetings, he would make a noise in the press. I didn’t need to be seen. In the shadows I moved totally at ease. My father always says, “Better to be a friend of the king than the king. It gives me peace ”. He has always worked for us, because he disarmed people against me. That is why little or nothing was known about her until now.

And he tells of the special relationship with some of his clients: We are lucky to have hard-working players. A warrior will come to you, fantastic Pinamonti
. Smiles all the time. He doesn’t say: “Take me to Real Madrid”. Rather, he says, “Where can I go to have more opportunities to take my next step?” So are Xavi Simons, De Ligt, and so on. The ambition to say: “I want to play and win trophies”. All our players are like that. If they are not, believe me, they go away. Because we annoy him. as with a wife. If she wants to go to the theater and you want to stay home every day, it won’t work.