New signing Alvaro Morata believes that AC Milan will get the best version of him since his career began, while he spoke about the importance of winning and being a leader for the team.
Morata became Milan’s first summer signing after his €13m release clause in his Atletico Madrid contract was triggered, and he put pen to paper on a four-year deal with the Rossoneri.
The Spaniard arrives after having won the European Championship with Spain as the captain, and also having just had his best single season in terms of goalscoring with 21 netted across all competitions.
He had an extended vacation following the final in Germany, but now he is ready to start a new adventure with a side that he faced quite a few times at his previous club Juventus.
Today is ‘Morata day’ after the striker landed in Italy last night, and he introduced himself to fans and the media at his press conference today, with his comments relayed by MilanNews.
How do you feel?
“Thanks to everyone who brought me here. I had several chances to return to Italy over the years but as soon as I spoke to Zlatan and the coach there was no way around it. No other team wanted me so much. It seemed like I was already at Milan during the European Championships.
“I need confidence and to be instinctive. I have no problem if someone comes to me one day and says: ‘You’re doing sh*t’. The coach, the club and Ibra have shown me that they believe in me. It’s hard to find a club with this organisation and I can’t wait to get on the pitch.
“I can’t promise titles but I’ll run like a dog to put pressure on and I’ll help my team-mates: a leader pushes his team-mates to be their best.”
Was joining Milan a possibility in the past? Who inspires you at Milan?
“Ibra is one of my greatest idols, I always asked him everything through friends. It makes me dream to be next to him. I heard from Kakà, I spoke with Sheva, Pato and David Beckham: he told me that you can see that there is something different in Milan. In the history of football, a large part was written here.”
What kind of team makes Morata play well?
“Certainly one that needs to be convincing with its ideas. I think that with the quality that is in this team, we have to take the area away from the other teams: if we press with ten players, I think it will be very difficult for the others. When you press and press, it is very difficult for the others to play. Without the ball you have to put on your worker’s clothes.”
Are you the player everyone wants to coach?
“I’m not a selfish person, I always bring a positive dynamic. I play as a central striker and when I’m substituted for a player I’m the first to hug him. I like to win and enjoy the moment with the teammates I see every day, it creates a family.”
What kind of a future does Francesco Camarda have?
“I met him today. I watched his games, he scored many more goals than when I was in the Real youth team! I just want to help him, make him grow. He will be the future, or maybe the present, in football you never know. Maybe I’ll sit on the bench for him. I just want to help the boys. I’m someone who jokes with young people but also gets angry if they don’t do things well.”
You are coming off your best scoring season and the European Championship win. What do you expect from a personal point of view?
“Winning. I don’t care about scoring 50 or 60 goals. There are players who score millions of goals but then don’t win anything. You have to win. We are in a team game and there are so many strong players in this team.
“Yesterday when I entered Milanello I understood what it feels like and I can assure you that I can only get better. But scoring goals is not the thing that worries me. I want to bring the second star and make history. I know that these are the last years of my career but the best.”
Will we see the best Morata of your career?
“Without a doubt. It’s not my normal character but I’m very happy and content, even at Milan they will see that it was a good purchase to sign Morata.”
You return to Serie A, what kind of a league are you coming back to?
“A league that has grown a lot, every year it is more beautiful to watch. Ten years ago it was very different, more tactical and less goals. Now every team is well prepared and well trained. Inter eliminated in the Champions League? A great satisfaction.”
You’ll face Juventus again…
“I am grateful and I thank them for what they have done for me. Friends are friends but to go to dinner, you say hello after the games, sometimes not because you are p*ssed because you lost. Now I am a Milan player. Now it’s another adventure.”
Is this Milan similar to Spain?
“There are players who are very similar. There are some who can become among the best in the world, if they aren’t already. The coach is very similar to the idea of the game. The important thing for me is to fit in well with the group and the teammates will understand who I am. I don’t want goals and to be a star, I want to win.”
What did Theo Hernandez tell you about Milan?
“I’ve always had a great relationship with Theo: a fun, open person. I was on holiday with him, two or three days. I hope he’s got some gas for his scooter because he’s fundamental for this team. He too can make the final leap in quality. He has the characteristics and potential to be the best full-back in the world and I’ll try to remind him of that every morning.”
What do you think of Fonseca? Have you spoken to Allegri?
“I spoke to the coach several times, even at length. I didn’t need much more information to make the decision. His idea is very similar to the one I like and in which I know I can give my best. I haven’t spoken to Max, when I see him it will be fun because he has always helped me a lot.”
How will the return to face Juventus be?
“This is part of football: if you go to a theatre and what you see is not nice… Whistles are fine when you deserve them, insults from opposing teams are normal. I have never gone to a place in Italy and had a lack of respect when I was with my family.”
How much can Milan help you and still excite you with football?
“If I’m here, I’m honest, it’s for this. An emotion that you call Milan, that you call Ibrahimovic. I could go get money or relax. I’m in the perfect place, at the perfect age: to do 5 or 6 years to do well and to win.”
How much of a burden is the number 7 and Giroud’s legacy?
“I don’t have to think about the burden. Olivier was a teammate at Chelsea and I had the opportunity to learn from him and share things with him. When it was almost all done, Ibra sent me a video and I had goosebumps with all the goals of the best players, many of whom played for Milan.”
Can your experience give an extra factor to Milan and the locker room?
“I have to want to win and know how to do it. In the European Championship they told us that we were very young and that it was impossible: in the end you have to believe and work hard. With all this you can get anywhere. This is why I can’t wait to join the group and remind everyone how much they are worth, every morning. I like to see the others working, dreaming, happy.”
“I can’t promise titles but I’ll run like a dog to put pressure on and I’ll help my team-mates: a leader pushes his team-mates to be their best.”
I like the sound of that. It’s about time we have a striker like that. If you want to press hard it starts with the striker and that’s one reason we couldn’t do it right for years now.
I didnt know he and Theo are friends.
Then this signing makes even more sense.
Anyway i really likes his attitude and that he genuinly loves the game and dont care about stardom.