AC Milan defender Davide Calabria has admitted that the current season has not been a positive one for him performance wise with plenty of room for improvement.
The Primavera product has not had the easiest of times so far this season with Milan not having much consistency down the right side, as both Calabria and Andrea Conti have both struggled to nail down their spot due to a combination of suspensions, injuries and general poor form.
For Calabria it follows up a season where he was largely very impressive under Gennaro Gattuso, but at 23 years of age there is hope that the boyhood Rossoneri fan can recover from a disappointing campaign next season, if of course he remains.
Calabria spoke during a Q&A organised by Milan on his Instagram profile, answering various questions from fans including how he is coping during the Coronavirus pandemic.
“I’m fine, luckily nobody in my family has contracted this virus. Unfortunately it is not an easy period and we are obliged to respect the quarantine at home, the only way to overcome this situation,” he said (via MilanLive).
“I have friends who have lost their loved ones unfortunately. So there is a minimum effort that we must all make to get out of it as soon as possible.
“I train at home with a bike and weights. We also make group video calls with the team to make specific sessions with the athletic trainers. Let’s see if we can recover or not.”
His best moment with Milan: “Probably the first goal in Serie A at the Olimpico against Roma. It was a beautiful goal, I spooned Alisson. And we also managed to get the win. It was a period in which we were doing really well as a team, so it was a moment of great joy.”
On his debut as a starter: “It dates back to a long time ago, I think it was the 2015-16 season with Mr. Mihajlovic. I was coming from a game as a sub against Palermo and I had a good performance, we won.
“The following week I was lined up against Udinese in Udine and I was very excited. I was only 18 and I was only in my third Serie A appearance. I remember I was agitated, but also very focused and eager to do. I was replaced around 60′ at 3-0, then they scored twice but we still won 3-2. It was a beautiful emotion.”
On childhood idols: “Actually, nobody. My only desire was to play all day with my friends on the street or on the pitch. I didn’t like watching games on TV and being on the sofa. I wanted to stay out all day and play. ”
As mentioned, it has not been the easiest of campaigns for Calabria consistency wise, and he picked out some areas for improvement.
“Improvements? Many things. I am young, but I already have a lot of experience. This year has not been a positive one for me. I am not satisfied with what I have done so far. I have to find continuity and stability, because this was not the case this year.”
On choosing No.2: “I have numbers that I prefer, but I’m not particularly attached to them. I chose the 2 because it brought me luck in the spring and in the national team. It has always been the number of the right back. But I’m also tied to 14, 6 and 96 for other reasons.”
On a message to the Rossoneri fans: “More than to the fans, a message that must be given to all citizens. Try to think about how many victims there have been and still are unfortunately.
“I understand that it is not a positive time for anyone, but life is involved and therefore every now and then you have to think about the families who have lost someone dear. The rest goes into the background. Staying at home I no longer see it as a sacrifice in comparison to losing someone dear.”
On what he misses: “Everything, because there is no longer the daily routine that was before. From simple things like meeting with friends and taking a walk or a jog to joking and laughing with your companions.
“Doing everything we used to do before and that cannot be done now. Nobody wanted this virus, so we just have to wait and hope for life as soon as possible.”
Why is he so attached to Kobe Bryant?
“Because he grew up in Italy, I’ve been a fan of his for years. I have only started following the NBA since its last seasons, but I like going to review its videos.
“He is a source of inspiration for everyone for his mentality, his desire, his charisma and for many things. He was a big AC Milan fan and probably also for that reason I admired him. One of my dreams was to get to know him and unfortunately it will never happen again, however I am tied to him.”
