AC Milan began their visit to Perth with a series of activities, including meeting some koala bears and having an open training session.
It is a match that has led to a lot of criticism given the known physical demands on footballers as post-season friendlies are not the norm, especially given many players will be taking part in EURO 2024 as well this summer. However, it certainly looks like it has been enjoyable so far.
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Morning visit to Kings Park and Botanic Gardens
A delegation of Milan players (Pierre Kalulu, Yacine Adli, Fikayo Tomori, Malick Thiaw, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Noah Okafor, Luka Jovic, Kevin Zeroli and Jan-Carlo Simic) commenced their day with a visit to Kings Park and Botanic Gardens, one of Perth’s most iconic locations.
During their visit, the players had the opportunity to learn more about the history and traditions of Australia and interact with local wildlife, adding a unique and enjoyable element to their stay.
Pre-Match press conference
A press conference was subsequently held, featuring key figures from both AC Milan and AS Roma.
AC Milan coach Daniele Bonera and captain Davide Calabria addressed the media, sharing insights and expectations for the upcoming match.
During the press conference, AC Milan and AS Roma presentative posed for a picture holding a Milan and a Roma jersey with ‘Di Bartolomei 10’ written on the back.
The two teams will play on Friday with a special patch to honour the memory of former player Agostino Di Bartolomei, who passed away 30 years ago.
Key quotes from press conference
Daniele Bonera: “We are grateful to the Government of Western Australia for the invitation. It is great to be here in Perth and represent the best of Italian football alongside AS Roma. Friday night is going to be a festival of football, a celebration of the beautiful sport that we all love.
“We are delighted to spend a few days here and engage with our fantastic fans on this side of the world. It is a testament to the power of this sport and of the AC Milan brand at a global level.”
Davide Calabria: “We are looking forward to seeing a little bif of this beautiful city and to playing in this beautiful stadium that we see from this terrace [location of press conference].
“It looks like a very modern stadium and are looking forward to playing there in front of the crowd on Friday night.”
Nice picture of Ibra with a Milan fan.
Giroud about to smoke a spliff