Alexis Saelemaekers is no stranger to the Milan derby, and he is ready to take on another one on Sunday night at San Siro.
Saelemaekers is still only 26 years of age, but his career has already been on an arc of sorts. He arrived at Milan as a youngster from Anderlecht and quickly established himself under Stefano Pioli, but then fell by the wayside a bit.
Two loan spells followed in 2023-24 and in 2024-25, to Bologna and Roma respectively. There, he got experiences at two historic but different Italian clubs before returning to Milan and once again becoming a key man, after the arrival of Massimiliano Allegri.
Saelemaekers also renewed his contract in December and he was a guest on DAZN’s Inedito programme. The Belgian spoke about a number of topics, from Sunday’s derby to how he is perceived in the media. MilanPress relayed what he had to say.
Do you think much about the opinion of others?
“A lot of people tell me that Saelemaekers is a completely different person on the pitch than he is off it. It’s not something that bothers me, but it does bother me a little because people never get to know the real me.
“On the pitch, since I’m someone who always does things 100% and with so much emotion, sometimes I don’t know how to regulate them and they always come out 100%, whether they’re good or bad.”
What do you like to do away from the field?
“I play golf. Pulisic and I said we’d go often, but we haven’t yet. Now, on our best days, we’ll definitely go. I have a place for my trophies. The Scudetto with Milan was the most important thing for me, and also the Champions League MVP against Salzburg.”
How was the year you spent at Bologna?
“In a word, I’d say ‘surprise.’ There came a point where I felt a bit left out of Milan, partly through my own fault, but I no longer felt like myself. As a Milan player, when you arrive at Bologna, you think you’ll make a difference.
“I know I’m a top-class player, and when I arrive at a smaller team, I want to make a difference. The players around me worked so hard that they were top-class, and by not working as I should, I realised how important it is.
“At first, it was tough. I got a bit nervous, I was much more emotional on the pitch. Bologna was the most important first step in my career.”
And with Roma?
“In a word, I’d say ‘maturity’. They saw my attitude as something against them. I’ve always remained the same, but they didn’t accept it, and I understand that because, even if I supported a team and saw one of my former players do what I did, I might have reacted the same way.
“But I’d like to thank them very much. I’ve never had a negative thought about Roma; I’ve always done everything on the pitch for the shirt I wear.”
Do you have a good relationship with any Inter players?
“I’ve always had a good relationship with Hakan Calhanoglu because he was one of the first people who helped me a lot when I arrived, even off the pitch. He introduced me to his family. I’ve always had this relationship with him.
“Obviously, when he changed, we lost it a bit, not because we’re no longer friends, but because we have different plans. Sometimes we call each other, but we never talk about football.”
What is the derby like?
“The rivalry will always be there. When the week begins where you play Inter, it’s always in the back of your mind, whether you’re at the pitch, at home, or in bed. Before a match like this, there’s so much concentration that there’s usually silence, no one talking.
“When you sit down to eat, you know everything that makes the difference for Sunday, even how much sleep you get. You try to give everything 100% to be ready and know you’ve given your all.”
What is Allegri like as a coach?
“For me, he’s special, in the sense that he’s unique in his outlook on football, his attitude towards the players. From a human perspective, he’s among the best I’ve seen, in terms of how he interacts with the players, how he jokes at the right time and how serious he is when he needs to be. He handles things perfectly. He calls me Scheggia because I always give 100%.”
And finally, Modric?
“Like with Hazard, I was amazed by his humility for the player he is. With Luka, you see this humility with the people at Milanello; he greets everyone, he doesn’t put himself above anyone. Seeing that in a champion like him is always amazing.
