Brahim Diaz has revealed that he and the rest of the AC Milan players are willing to ‘fight for one another’, such is the close-knit nature of the squad.
The Spaniard arrived on an initial season-long loan deal from Real Madrid back in the summer of 2020 and although he had an up and down first half of the campaign which saw his opportunities somewhat limited, he made vital contributions late in the campaign being an almost ever-present starter.
This persuaded the management to try and bring him back and that’s exactly what they did, with the 22-year-old rejoining Milan this summer on a two-year loan deal, and some debate as to whether an option to buy and a buy-back are included.
Pioli granted an interview to the football magazine FourFourTwo who dedicated a section of their latest issue to the ‘rebirth’ of the club from the doldrums they were in a few years ago.
What’s the atmosphere like at Milan these days, inside the club and within the team?
“They’re happy days for us right now. We’re a tight-knit group of players; it’s fun with the boys and we spend time together off the pitch. On it we fight for one another and that’s the strength of our team,” he said.
“We’re in the same boat; we play together, we win together, we lose together. We want to carry on like this. Our team is a mix of experienced players and young talents, and I’m delighted to be here.”
Talking about experience: what’s it like to play alongside a legend like Zlatan Ibrahimovic?
“He’s such a quality player. He makes the difference every time he plays, he’s won everywhere he’s been and it’s important for us to have him here right now.
“To have him in your team pushes you to play at your very best, too – he knows what he wants and motivates the team to get there. But he’s also very funny; he jokes all the time with me and I really admire that side of his character.”
What are realistic goals for both the Rossoneri and you personally this campaign?
“Our target is to win every match we play and to be as close as possible to the top, like we did last year – it’s as simple as that. We have to keep in mind at all times that we’re a great team and that we have what it takes to win any game.
“At the end of the season we’ll see how far we’ve gone. As far as I’m concerned, I just want to help the team as much as I can by scoring goals and providing assists.”
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