The agent of AC Milan defender Mateo Musacchio has blasted the club for their treatment of his client, insisting he is suffering as a result of recent events.
The Argentine was one of the first names on the team sheet under Gennaro Gattuso last season and at the beginning of the current campaign, however he has fallen down the pecking order.
At present, Matteo Gabbia and January signing Simon Kjaer appear to be ahead of Musacchio in the depth chart in terms of partners for captain Alessio Romagnoli, with no sign of that changing any time soon.
Speculation has been rife since that he could leave Milan this summer after three years, with Calciomercato.com claiming recently that he is deemed far from unsellable by the management.
Musacchio’s representative Marcelo Lombilla spoke to the editorial staff of MilanNews about all the issues related to his client, starting with how his routine is holding up during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“He is with his brother in Milan, because before they declared quarantine in Italy he sent his family to Spain, so he is alone but he is training well,” Lombilla said.
“The club has sent players a program to work at home, as far as it is possible to do with running and gear.”
On his season so far: “The season was like that of Milan, it was fine and he was happy. At first he was playing continuously and was improving, he had self-confidence, then he had an injury that stopped him.
“Then when he was ready to return, the coach no longer put him on the pitch and this brought him down mentally. It was the coach’s choice. When Mateo got injured the coach put Kjaer in his place, then once Musacchio returned Gabbia played. These are messages that a player receives, uncertainties that lead to lack of trust.
“He does everything all the same, trains, does what he has to do. If he has to sit on the bench he will do it and in June we will see. First let’s see what will happen with the coronavirus, which is more important than football, then when normal returns we will see how we will be.
“If AC Milan wants him, and they believe they have a player worth keeping, then we’ll stay. If instead we have to go away we will. At the moment I have not had any talks, it is a confusing situation for everyone. We will see what will happen later.”
Will there be meetings at the end of the year for renewal?
“I have no idea, it doesn’t depend on us. The intention must be 100% on both sides of course. It is very complicated when one gives his best, he tries to prove that he is worth the money he is paid for, he gives everything and then gets injured because of an overload, because the coach asks him to, and because the team needs him because if he isn’t there then there is nobody.
“He missed three games, came back and was on the bench, third in the defense hierarchies. When Bonucci arrived it was Bonucci, then Caldara and for the Italian press he had to play always, it was written every day, I read it every day and I know what effect it has on a player’s head.
“Now you suffer, you come back and you are the third in your position, there is a bit of unease in this sense because it is not fair, but they are the coach’s choices and must be respected.”
