Alvaro Morata believes that AC Milan are a team that can beat anyone, though he did admit Liverpool are a very dangerous opponent who deserve respect.
Milan got an important first win of the new campaign on Saturday night against Venezia, and it was a game in which Morata’s strike partner Tammy Abraham won a penalty and also scored one in what was an eventual 4-0 victory.
Theo Hernandez and Youssouf Fofana also got on the scoresheet while Christian Pulisic scored from another spot kick in a win that will hopefully inspire some confidence after three games without one.
However, everyone is aware that bigger tests are to come – with respect to Venezia – in the two games that will come next at San Siro, against Liverpool in the Champions League and Inter in the derby.
Morata spoke alongside head coach Paulo Fonseca at the pre-match press conference on the eve of the game and he answered questions from journalists, with his responses via MilanNews.
Did your run-up to Milan-Liverpool after your injury start from that training session in the rain?
“Since I signed for this club I dreamed of playing matches like this. Milan-Liverpool could be a final and instead it’s the first match. We want to make our fans proud. We can’t wait to play this match.”
How are you approaching this match?
“The Champions League is the Champions League, it’s different from everything else. It’s true that we needed a win to get to this match in the right way, but in the Champions League it doesn’t matter how you get there. The best European teams are there, everyone knows the importance of the Champions League.”
You’ve already scored before against Liverpool…
“The goal against Liverpool is a nice memory but it’s part of the past. Tomorrow a new challenge begins. If you play for Milan, you have to dream: you look at your shirt and it says 7. So you have to fight for the fans. There’s a lot of quality in this team and we can win against anyone.”
Your last European match was the European Championship final against England. Tomorrow you will play the first Champions League match with Milan against an English team…
“Let’s hope it ends the same way. They are coincidences, but they are beautiful things, it means you are at the highest level. Tomorrow’s match is a great challenge for us.
“I don’t think it will tell the size of this team, it’s only the first European match. We need to systematise many mechanisms. However, we have no more time to waste, especially in the league.”
What is the difference between Italian and English football?
“The biggest difference is from a physical point of view. Italian football has changed a lot, there are many top-level teams, it’s more similar to the Premier League.”
How European are this Milan side?
“I often talk about it with my team-mates. I have rarely seen so much quality, but it’s not always enough. We have to believe in it, now we believe more that we can fight with everyone. Before we were a bit moody: if we conceded a goal, we were already going, if we dominated we went faster.
“We have to play with our ideas, the victory against Venezia is no coincidence, it depends on how we worked during the week. If we don’t believe in it, the people won’t believe it either.”
How happy are you to be back in Italy? How do you feel at Milan?
“It’s a pleasure to be back in Italy. We haven’t shown how good we are yet, there are so many great players like Loftus-Cheek and Theo. Now we all have to understand that we are great players and not just great prospects. We have so many players who would play in the best teams in Europe.”
Have you noticed a change in attitude in the team?
“You play on Sunday based on how you live here at Milanello, how you train. We are here to win, Milan must win. In the last few weeks there has been a change, we always want to win. We must be aware that we are here to win and not to pass the time.”
What do you think of the new Champions League?
“I like to think that changes are made to improve things, even if that means playing more games for us.”
How are you physically?
“I’m fine, I’m confident. I’m physically fine, I wouldn’t be available if I couldn’t give my all. I’ve worked hard to improve my condition. The club also helped me by having staff members accompany me to Spain for my personal situation. I thank them for this.”
Sunday is the derby. Last year you beat Inter when you were at Atletico Madrid, will you give some advice to the coach?
“No, the coach is the one who understands football the most. Victories bring victories. But we don’t think about Inter now, otherwise we’ll just waste energy. We only think about tomorrow.”
What do you think about Fofana, who already speaks Italian?
“I’ve had many team-mates, some of whom have never learned the language. Fofana speaks Italian, but he tries to speak Spanish with me, Portuguese with others. This is important.
“If you want to adapt like this as soon as you arrive in a team, it’s important. He’s doing everything he can to integrate. I like how he commands me from behind. He can become a pillar of this team.”
This guy is a true pro. Has experience, has been a captain for a while and knows how to handle media. We need to utilize him more.
we can win against anyone but not Parma, Torino and Lazio….
Yeah well Inter can’t beat Monza and Juve can’t beat Empoli.
He speaks as a true professional and the frequent use of ‘we’ and not ‘I’, Morata will soon turn to be the leader of the whole squad