Inter Milan striker Adriano has sensationally revealed that he plans to take a break from football in order to "rethink" his career.
Adriano failed to report back to his club after last week's World Cup qualifier against Peru and was later found to be staying with his mother in Rio de Janeiro.
However, the 27-year-old will not be heading back to Italy in the near future after admitting he has fallen out of love with playing football.
"I have stopped my career for a while because I have lost the joy of playing," Adriano told a press conference.
"It could be one, two or three months. There is big pressure in Italy. I don't want to return to Italy. I want to live in peace here in Brazil.
"Everybody has the right to be happy in his job and I was unhappy in Italy. I am happy in Brazil alongside my friends and my family.
"I will re-think my career."
Adriano said his agent, Gilmar Rinaldi, would be in contact with Inter next week and said he was aware his decision could cost him financially.
He added: "Gilmar is going to Italy to ask for some time for me and it is fair that I am given no money.
"I have no bad feelings for Inter - I just dislike living in Italy. I felt I was pressured. I felt big pressure when I was 18 years old (when he joined Inter from Flamengo).
"A lot of people will not understand. It is a bad situation, not easy at all, but it is a choice."
Adriano added that, if he resumes his career in Brazil, the only possibility would be Flamengo.
"If I play in Brazil, it will be for Flamengo," he said. "Otherwise, my grandmother would kill me."
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Adriano failed to report back to his club after last week's World Cup qualifier against Peru and was later found to be staying with his mother in Rio de Janeiro.
However, the 27-year-old will not be heading back to Italy in the near future after admitting he has fallen out of love with playing football.
"I have stopped my career for a while because I have lost the joy of playing," Adriano told a press conference.
"It could be one, two or three months. There is big pressure in Italy. I don't want to return to Italy. I want to live in peace here in Brazil.
"Everybody has the right to be happy in his job and I was unhappy in Italy. I am happy in Brazil alongside my friends and my family.
"I will re-think my career."
Adriano said his agent, Gilmar Rinaldi, would be in contact with Inter next week and said he was aware his decision could cost him financially.
He added: "Gilmar is going to Italy to ask for some time for me and it is fair that I am given no money.
"I have no bad feelings for Inter - I just dislike living in Italy. I felt I was pressured. I felt big pressure when I was 18 years old (when he joined Inter from Flamengo).
"A lot of people will not understand. It is a bad situation, not easy at all, but it is a choice."
Adriano added that, if he resumes his career in Brazil, the only possibility would be Flamengo.
"If I play in Brazil, it will be for Flamengo," he said. "Otherwise, my grandmother would kill me."
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