Leo Duarte, the AC Milan defender who arrived from Brazil this summer, featured in an interview with SportMediaset (via MilanNews.it) about the ongoing season and adapting to Italian football.
“AC Milan have a beautiful story, they are a great club. There have been many famous Brazilian here, like Kakà, Serginho, Cafù and Thiago Silva. I also hope to follow in their footsteps,” he began.
The defender also spoke about Paqueta, who was his teammate at Flamengo before the midfielder left for San Siro in January this year. He revealed that the 22-year-old convinced him to join the Rossoneri.
“I talked to Paquetà to find out what it was like and how it worked. His answers were convincing and very positive. They made me even happier and more motivated to be here today,” he continued.
As expected, Duarte was also asked about the differences between Brazilian and Italian football, stating that his former manager Jorge Jesus helped him understand European football better.
“Brazilian football in itself doesn’t have a lot of tactics, but I was working with Jorge Jesus who is a European coach with a lot of knowledge. He helped me a little and now I want to improve with the language to understand better,” he concluded.
The Brazilian defender is yet to make his debut for the Rossoneri in the league, as Giampaolo has opted for a centre-back duo of Musacchio and Romagnoli for the first two games of the season.
Milan’s next match will take place next weekend, as the international break is currently ongoing. The newly-promoted Hellas Verona will host Giampaolo’s men, who should be able to claim three points from the clash.
