Alessandro Nesta has recalled some of his memories from games between AC Milan and Juventus, while also speaking about Rafael Leao’s importance to the current side.
The game between the Rossoneri and the Bianconeri at the Allianz Stadium on Sunday night will take place exactly 20 years after the Old Trafford final, and there will still be some Champions League spice after the events of the last couple of days.
Saturday saw a return to winning ways for Milan in emphatic style with a 5-1 victory over Sampdoria at San Siro, then Juve had 10 points deducted yesterday minutes before their 4-1 loss against Empoli.
That puts Milan in pole position to qualify for the next edition of Europe’s top club competition, needing just one win from their final two games to get in.
Nesta spoke during a segment on DAZN ahead of the upcoming trip to Turin that the Rossoneri face, with his comments relayed by PianetaMilan.
On what Juve-Milan represents: “For me San Siro and Milan are these memories: a full stadium, great players and that desire to always win.”
On the Champions League final in Manchester: “Andriy Shevchenko needed great stimuli and huge games, and he was thrilled. He struggled to play simpler games. When there was an important match, Sheva scored goals.”
On his relationship with Ancelotti and Lippi: “Ancelotti is a special person, he understands how you feel every day: that’s his quality. When he loses he knows how you feel because he lived it. For me the greatest quality of him is to bring out the best in people.”
On Serie A: “Italian football is making a comeback for me, but at that time all the champions were in Italy, every Sunday was tough.”
On his team mates: “Thiago Silva was very strong, I saw him in a friendly match and I said: ‘This guy rocks’. Paolo Maldini, special player, strong in many areas. Technically, he knew how to handle football, he was a professional in the right way, for me he was a real example.
“You remain tied to your team-mates for life. When we meet again it is as if we had seen each other the day before. This is the magic of football.”
On the strongest Milan player in the current season: “Leao is the face of Milan, the facts say that with him Milan is different. And then Tonali: for me he is one of those players around whom you can build an important team.
“He can become the necessary hard core in the big teams, as we have been and as you have been: the others changed every year, but the group with some symbolic players remains.”
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