Pobega reflects on 'finally' being a Milan player after loans helped him 'grow, mature and improve'

AC Milan midfielder Tommaso Pobega has shed some light on how his adaptation is going after he returned from loan to this time become part of the midfield rotations.

Pobega spent time on loan with Ternana, Pordenone, Spezia and Torino as he was gradually sent on more and more challenging assignments to gain experience and better his development while Milan’s midfield department was stocked.

After returning from Torino over the summer, the management made the decision to extend his contract and have put faith in him to be part of Stefano Pioli’s plans, with 11 appearances to his name already.

Pobega spoke during a new DAZN feature called ‘1 vs 1’ about a number of topics ahead of tomorrow’s game against Monza.

How are you and how are these first months, finally, going as a Milan player? Were you expecting it?

“I’m fine. Yes, I was waiting for it, I’m happy to finally be able to stay here. I am satisfied with what we are doing as a team, we can do even more, for sure. After maybe a few years in which I have had loans, coming back here has a different flavour, the sense of saying: go, go, get experience, give your best and then come back here for a fantastic working environment.

“Coming out of the Primavera certainly I was not ready to take a higher jump than what I did. It took me every step to grow, mature and improve. I knew what season I had at Spezia, I knew the level that was there, I wanted to have another test for myself and say: ‘ok, I want to go and do another year, get back into the game and try to do even better’.”

So far in the league only one team has beaten you: Napoli. You lose that game then you win three in a row in the league. How do you start again in this ferocious way after losing a direct match?

“It was something that even the coach talked about a lot in training, in the locker room: strong teams always come together after a small fall, because you can fall, but the important thing afterwards is to get back on track immediately and continue on what you were doing, and we have shown it in these three games and we must continue like this.”

Is there something about being a Milan player that you are not completely used to yet?

“I’m trying to get used to it, but I think it’s difficult to adapt to the love of the fans. I have lived through many different places in which there is still a lot of passion, last year in Turin there was a very passionate environment.

“But here at Milan just like numbers and presence at the stadium is a different thing. When you see the choreography they do before the game, you understand that it is really beautiful and important.”

Tell us about Gennaro Gattuso…

“I remember that when it was us in the Primavera, we were four guys, the ones a little ‘older’, because there are more and more years together in the Primavera group. In the boarding school we always had a separate table from the others, we were always there.

“When he heard about it from the tutors or from someone, he called us aside and said ‘I don’t want to see these things anymore because we are a team’. From this point of view, too, he took care of the appearance of the person and the bonds that exist within the team.”

Why did you choose the number 32 shirt?

“I’ve always had even numbers, then when I had to choose I watched the Los Angeles Lakers series and there was Magic Johnson, a player I always liked in the NBA, I liked it as a number and I chose that.”

The university exam that put you most in difficulty?

“Private Law.”

Which Serie A midfielder has put you in the most trouble?

“Last year I can tell you Rabiot.”

Your idol as a child?

“Outside of football LeBron James, football… I loved Schweinsteiger as a child.”

Name 4 Harry Potter characters…

“Dumbledore, Snape, Harry Potter and Hagrid.”

On TV: Champions League Final or Game 7 of the NBA Finals?

“If there is LeBron I’ll tell you game 7.”

Milan for you in a word?

“Passion.”