Lorenzo Colombo has revealed that it was his choice to leave on loan in January as he reflected on his breakthrough into Milan’s senior squad.
Milan and Cremonese reached an agreement over the loan of the 18-year-old striker during the most recent January window, though there is no obligation or option to buy meaning there doesn’t appear to be any chance of the deal becoming a permanent one.
Colombo spoke to Goal.com about his months with the Rossoneri in preseason and his experience in Serie B thus far, beginning with his senior debut in the Coppa Italia against Juventus.
“I don’t remember what Pioli told me, in emotion prevails in those situations. Usually when you start out you always tend to enter a bit carefree, personally many images passed in front of me at that moment, images of all my career in the youth sector, of all my efforts and sacrifices that I have made over the years. It was truly a great personal reward, we can define it like this,” he said.
Colombo got his first goal for the club against Bodo/Glimt in the third qualifying round of the Europa League.
“That goal had a very special flavour because we strikers live for goals. I had to be ready in that situation because there had been a few hours before the news of Ibrahimovic’s positivity, I had to respond and I tried to store all the desire, all the strength I had and luckily it went well.”
Speaking of the Swede, Colombo revealed that he has learned a lot from him during training given the illustrious career he has had, the trophies he has won and the knowledge he can impart.
“Being able to train with him is an immense and inexplicable fortune. As we all know, Ibrahimovic made football history, finding him at the beginning of his career in the same team is a privilege that few have,” Colombo added.
“I was very lucky, I tried to take all that. that I could, above all by observing him, observing the details, I hope he can help me in the future. Personally, his reproach helps me a lot, because during training he always expects the best and you can never make mistakes, if you make a mistake his reproach comes.
“For me this is a constructive thing, it makes you stay on track, it leads you to raise the bar and obviously by raising the bar you improve. I have to thank him for this, his way of doing helps in my opinion.”
On his idol Batistuta, he added: “Batistuta is one of the best strikers in history. My passion for him was born in Pulcini at Milan, I had very long hair, like him blond, and a coach approached me not only for physical resemblance but also for what it’s about a very powerful shot.”
Colombo also shared some words on the head coach Stefano Pioli and what he has learned from him since breaking into the senior side.
“Mister Pioli is certainly an excellent coach, he proved it. An important gift he has in my opinion is the dialogue with the group: there is also a human relationship between the group and the coach, this is a fundamental thing because in the long run, especially in the matches that matter, these values must emerge to give something more and bring the result in your favour.”
Finally, the teenager discussed his loan move to Cremonese that materialised during the January transfer window as opportunities were becoming a bit more scarce.
“It was my choice, Milan said that the choice was totally mine, if it were up to them I could also stay there. Surely this freedom of choice made me think a lot and in the end I thought that I would go away on loan was the right choice to grow, because the important thing is to be able to play and have the possibility to make mistakes and to understand the game situations. Then when a director of the caliber of Braida looks for you, how can you say no?”
READ MORE: Milan targeting a defender, midfielder and winger from the same club this summer
