Matteo Gabbia has risen in popularity massively over the past few months, and there are calls for him to be given the AC Milan captaincy at some point, which is something he dreams of.
In a season where Milan have seen few consistencies, the love and appreciation for Gabbia has been noticeable. The central defender understands what it means to play for and be Milan, and this resonates with many.
For this reason, most of the fans see him as an heir to the armband, given he is a projection of themselves and their dreams: a Rossonero playing for the famous stripes and one day captaining them, a dream for everyone.
With Milan lacking leaders this season, there have regularly been calls for Gabbia to be trialled as a captain, and perhaps being the captain could follow from this, but no such moment has arrived yet, and the defender admitted he is not putting a timer on this in a press conference today, transcribed by Milan News.
How do you see tomorrow’s match?
“We want to win, we will not underestimate the opponent. We have prepared well, we want to take home the three points.”
Is the Champions League a chance to redeem yourself after the defeat in the league?
“The Champions League must not be the lifeline of the championship. Now let’s think about winning tomorrow, then we’ll think about Genoa.”
Do you still feel like the leader of this Milan? Do you dream of the captain’s armband?
“I’m happy with what I’m doing. My goal is to show my qualities on the pitch. The captain’s armband? It’s not right to talk about it now. Other players are wearing it, it wouldn’t be respectful to talk about it. It’s a dream of mine, but I don’t think about it that much. If one day comes I’ll be happy, but I don’t think about it that much.”
Is Milan good enough?
“We have to improve, the coach tells us that too. We have to stop the action earlier in some situations. We are a team that plays as a unit, so we are not forced to make interventions on the man.”
What can you tell us about your defensive phase?
“It’s a journey we’re taking to improve the defensive phase not only when we don’t have the ball, but also when we do. We make mistakes, but together with the coach and his staff we are more organized on the pitch and we know what we have to do. The defensive phase is improving and will continue to improve.”
How did the team react after Bergamo?
“When the team doesn’t win, it’s angry, in the locker room there’s a desire to get out of the difficult moment in the championship. Nobody is happy with the points we have in the championship. We don’t rest easy, it bothers us to lose.”
Tomorrow Milan will celebrate its 125th anniversary…
“It’s a historic moment for the club. Sunday will be a special day, we will have to make the fans proud as always. Our objective must not change, the 125 years of the club must only be an incentive, we must give our all as always.”
Champions League or championship?
“We have to do our best in both competitions. Playing in the Champions League is a dream, it’s a great competition to play in, but that doesn’t mean we’re putting the league aside.”
