AC Milan midfielder Rade Krunic has stated that he no longer feels underestimated, and believes that the team have emerged from their difficult period at the beginning of the year.
Tomorrow Milan face Roma in a game which is crucial for the two teams in terms of their respective hopes for reaching the top four, given they are level on points and a head-to-head advantage would be huge for the winner.
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It also gives the chance for the Rossoneri to exact a bit of revenge, given that it was the 2-2 draw against the Giallorossi at San Siro early in January that seemed to spark a collapse. From there the desire to defend the Scudetto vanished, and instead a real battle for a Champions League spot opened up.
Krunic was interviewed on SportMediaset and it was broadcaston the eve of the game against Roma at the Stadio Olimpico, with his comments relayed by MilanNews.
What is it like working with Pioli?
“The coach has always trusted me, not just in this period. I missed games at the worst moment of the season due to an injury but I’m pleased to have played the most important games last season and I’m also happy with this year in which I almost always played in the Champions League. I’m playing a lot in the league too and I’m pleased that the coach has so much faith in me.”
What can you tell us about your position?
“I’ve changed a lot compared to Empoli where I was more of a midfielder who ran in behind, I scored many goals and was very present in the opposing area.
“Here at Milan I’ve changed a lot, I’m receiving a lot of information from the coach and the staff on how they want to I want to help the team in every way, I think he’s doing it well this year, in a role that suits me better.”
Do you prefer being a deeper-lying or an attacking midfielder?
“I like both roles but the way we are playing now I think this is the role that allows me to help the team the most with my experience. I can express myself better in this position.”
Do you feel underrated?
“I felt underestimated even if I don’t feel that way anymore. At the beginning there was this feeling also from the fans but from my team-mates, the coach and the club I never felt underestimated and I’ve always had their trust. And that’s the most important thing to me. Maybe I’m underestimated even now but I don’t care.”
You got an assist during the game against Lecce…
“These are good moments, when you score goals or when you assist you are more satisfied. People who don’t follow the games much see only this but those who know how to watch football can understand what I’m doing on the pitch and what I’m doing for my teammates. When they tell me I’m a smart player, I’m satisfied.”
What is life away from football like for you?
“I’m a very simple guy, I don’t have the personality to do things like Theo off the pitch, I’m a little ashamed but I appreciate it a lot. Then those things, if Theo does them, they’re fine with him, if I do them I less.”
You recently became a father…
“My first child was born on 19 April, it was the most important satisfaction of my life. And this thing makes me calmer even on the pitch because I’m more satisfied and happier off it. ”
Was there was more tension for the birth of your son or for the Napoli game?
“We returned from Naples late and then my wife and I went to the hospital very early to prepare everything for the birth. I just asked her not to give birth on the 18th, otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to be there, because against Napoli it was too important a match for us. In two days I had two incredible satisfactions, it was a perfect week.”
There is a Champions League derby on the horizon…
“We try to think about one game at a time, but obviously that’s an important challenge that is within each of us. We’re certainly thinking about it a bit even if we have to leave it aside because many important matches await us, even in the league. When the day comes we will think about the two derbies.”
What happened in January, after the last game against Roma?
“It’s not easy to explain, attention dropped a bit, mentally we haven’t been like Milan, then the World Cup certainly had an impact. We had two team-mates who lost the World Cup final and this thing it was difficult for them.
“But now it’s a past period, now we have to look forward, we were good at getting out of it. Personally it was the worst period of my career in terms of results, but now the music has changed, now we are the team who everyone knows, from last year.”
You lost two derbies during that period of struggle…
“Now it will be something else. This is the right time for us, we play well, we train more calmly. We were having a bad time in the Supercoppa, we came from a draw against Lecce, I was injured but I saw a team without confidence and without clear ideas. It wasn’t Milan but now we’ve come out of it and we’re a different team.”
