AC Milan winger Samu Castillejo has insisted he feels part of a family with the Rossoneri, claiming coach Gennaro Gattuso ‘never stops’.
The Spaniard arrived from Villarreal last summer as part of a deal which saw striker Carlos Bacca go the other way.
Despite making 23 appearances this season, Castillejo has played just 780 minutes and has been limited to mainly opportunities off the bench, but he remains focused on the team objectives.
“We are in a beautiful moment, we are also working well,” he told MilanTV.
“We had a slightly freer week for the National teams. Now we want to face Saturday’s match.
“We see the desire of the team, we want to finish in the Champions League. I think we are close to our goal and we hope to play in it next season.
“[In the last week] I worked on strength, as usual when there is a free week when there are no national team players. There’s a desire to play Saturday.
“For players who arrive in a new team, the most important thing is to play continuously to stay healthy. The coach knows I can help the team when he wants.
“We are a family. Every player wants to play. I think the coach knows that when he makes a change the player answers. Gattuso doesn’t stop for a day, he’s always loaded.”
Castillejo discussed several of his team-mates starting with defender Mattia Caldara, who is just returning after a lengthy absence.
“He has been stationary for a long time, now he has returned. I think he is a player who can give a lot and maybe he can come in from here to the end of the season.”
On Piatek: “He is a very strong player. Off the field, too, he’s great. He is a very good person, he can help this team a lot ”
On Calhanoglu: “He’s a great player. Even outside the camp there is a different relationship, we joke a lot. He is a very good person and he too helps the team a lot.”
He ended by looking ahead to the weekend’s game in Genova against Sampdoria.
“I am a team that plays very well, we have seen that in the Italian Cup. Let’s see how the game will go, but we prepared it well and I think it will go well.”
