MONTELLA: "I WANT TO WIN THE DERBY"
It was a surprise for the Red and Black fans watching Milan TV tonight to see coach Vincenzo Montella special guest of the show "Milan News" airing on AC Milan's thematic channel. A full hour, with the boss talking about the past, the present and the future.
IDOL
"Growing up, Van Basten was my idol. I have to say, I really would have loved to play with him. He was my true idol".
PEPITO ROSSI
"I spoke with Giuseppe and I am really sorry for what happened to him. But he's serene because he injured the other knee. I am sure he will be back to delight all the football fans. I wish him a speedy recovery".
ANCELOTTI
"I have really fond memories of Ancelotti. He was the first manager I followed when he was at Chelsea and I was starting my career as coach. He taught me a lot and I am really grateful for this. Here at AC Milan, I would like to achieve the same as him, but I know it won't be easy. What I can say is that I have a sense of belonging to this club".
STYLE OF PLAY
"I think it's better to have a style of play rather than principles. Possession is important, to some extent. In the game against Palermo, we played vertical football, although breaking the deadlock in the first minutes was of great help. The early goal gave us the opportunity to find more space, and Palermo couldn't play such a defensive game".
GROUP
"I found a solid basis, a squad made up of boys who wanted to bounce back and that's what we worked on. The results early in the season helped us, but the team really worked hard to achieve them. I am proud, as a coach, to see how much the lads improve every day".
DERBY
"When you play a derby the only objective is to win it and we'll do our best to do so. It's a special match because it's important for the league and to prevail against our city rivals. It would be a great step forward for us. Surely playing it ahead of Inter in the league is important, but they have really strong players that can make the difference in the individual match. Who's the Inter player I fear the most? Handanovic. But we'll have to be ready and focused. We hope it's going to be a happy Easter".
LINE-UP
"With Pasalic suspended I could play Locatelli and Sosa together, we'll see...".
LEAGUE
"This is a strange season. The teams ahead of us are really doing great, although in the past weeks there were a few surprises. It's not easy to say how many points we need to make it into Europe, but we'll give 100 percent to qualify. We have to continue this way, with these results and these performances".
SUSO
"He lives for football and was really upset in this period. Against Palermo, he played a brilliant game and he really deserved the applause of the fans, who I want to congratulate because Sunday they were really great".
NIANG
"He always gave everything he had. I think he suffered from the atmosphere that surrounded him and it did not allow him to continue the season with us. He's a really strong player, physically and technically".
DEULOFEU
"My best wishes to Gerard, to his wife and the newborn baby. Fathers always have a different strength".
DONNARUMMA
"Gigio is changing the way of being a goalkeeper. His shirt, for instance, is one of the most sold, and this is really something rare for a goalkeeper. His best save? The one that denied Dybala, at Doha".
PASALIC
"He's what you call a modern midfielder, complete. He still has a lot of room for improvement in many respects, but he can potentially become a top player in his position".
BOLOGNA OR DOHA
"The most exciting moment was surely Doha. Winning a trophy is always something special. At Bologna, the boys showed really great character and tactically they were impeccable. They showed the soul of this team".
MANAGEMENT
"I can say that Galliani and Maiorino helped me improve. I would have liked to get to know Berlusconi better. What has really pleased me is always understanding the management holds me in great esteem, I am very proud of this".
(Photo LaPresse)
