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Zlatan Ibrahimovic spoke at a press conference on the eve of Milan-Feyenoord. The Senior Advisor of RedBird for AC Milan touched on many topics.

Tomorrow the Rossoneri will play for a spot in the round of 16 of the Champions League and they must overturn the result from the first leg to progress.

Milan, Ibrahimovic’s words

Fans are crucial tomorrow…

“It’s a rare situation for me to be here, the coach is returning from Portugal. For tomorrow: our fans are important, their fans pushed a lot in Rotterdam. But I am confident that tomorrow with 80,000 Milan fans at the stadium and those around the world will give maximum support to the team, which will then have to take this energy to do the best possible.”

What explanation do you have for these ups and downs of Milan?

“Low moments come. Being at the top every day is not easy, but in the long run you have to work; we are working on mentality, on team things. Even in non-wow moments, that mentality comes out. I talk to the players every day, we try to find solutions, but there shouldn’t be too much information: if you talk to the players every day, in the end things don’t sink in. It’s like telling your wife you love her every day, but you have to show it with actions.”

What does the team need to do tomorrow?

“Focused, aggressive, concrete. They must enter with a final mentality. It is important to play well, but it is more important to win. We need to get a result to progress. We are down by one goal, we need to get a result to progress. Everyone needs to push their teammate and make them focused. It’s a collective thing that starts with some individuality. Even those on the bench need to push, it’s all connected to the collective. This is what makes a group and a team.”

Christian Pulisic (PHOTO BY SALVATORE FORNELLI)

Tomorrow’s match is also crucial for the club.

“Personally important to me, because I am a winner and I want to win. I want to bring results. I’m not someone who tries to do things well that won’t stay in history, but the opposite: I try to make a difference to write history. To make history, you have to win. That’s Milan. If you look at the history of the Champions League, Milan has written history. And we want to continue. We push from the outside, we help.”

Is Gimenez on the right track?

“We expect a lot from the new ones. Joao Felix can do even more. Gimenez is the one who can grow and become even stronger. Then there are Bondo and Sottil who can still grow. The club expects a lot from the new ones. I have already told them to take space, because we can’t wait: they must come in immediately and shift the balance. That’s what we’re doing.

Galliani always said: ‘Players just have to think about football, we’ll take care of the rest.’ That’s what we do. We missed Gimenez, for the quality in front of the goal, he’s a killer, but he also has to run, because with the coach if you don’t run, you don’t play. He has to be like in the last game: be there at the right moment. A ball can come from anywhere, even from Maignan, and he has to be ready and focused.”

Are you a mental coach?

“I’m a backup for everything, I’m a reserve. Jokes aside: the coach is not here, he had a personal loss. I’m helping Milan.”

Yunus Musah (PHOTO BY SALVATORE FORNELLI)

You are often seen close to the team…

“I was also there in the summer at the press conferences for the new signings. With Fonseca we talked every day, we were present at Milanello. We are doing it now too. Today is a rare situation, as it was after Verona. Nothing has changed, we are all working.”

Most dangerous opponent in the Champions League?

“Things change every week. We are focused on ourselves. Every game is a final for us, like tomorrow. In my opinion, those ahead of us, everyone is doing everything to reach the quarter-finals. It will be a battle to the end.”

Are you talking to Real about Jimenez?

“In the summer I said he would be Theo’s backup, then with patience we got him. There is the buy-back clause, but we have a good relationship with Real. There are no discussions today. There are Camarda, Jimenez, Bartesaghi, Torriani, Zeroli at Monza, Cuenca at Genoa, Stalmach in Germany, Liberali debuted: this is our strategy. I’m sorry he’s not on the Champions League list, next year he will be.”

How is ownership approaching this appointment?

“We talk to Cardinale every day: he is very involved, charged, he wants success with Milan. He gives strength to everyone, he gives confidence.”

MILAN’S DISAPPOINTMENT AT THE END OF THE GAME (photo KEYPRESS)

Is there adrenaline in Theo?

“These moments are special. It’s all about one game. Everyone has their approach to do their best. I was more focused, I didn’t need superstitions or other things: I had confidence. Theo is no longer a kid. He was when I arrived, now he has grown and is one of the best in the world. He knows what he needs to do to bring out the best. He has to find the trigger point to reach a high level. And as a player, this is difficult. You have to find that button to charge yourself. Everyone said I was always angry, but it was to charge myself.”

Should Leao return to defense?

“Everyone talks about Leao, everyone tells him how to play. He is one of the best in the world. So he knows how to play. You can tell him tactically where to be, you can push him to run more, but it’s all tactical stuff. You don’t explain how to play: he explains it. He is himself and is one of the best players in the world. Rest assured, Leao knows what he’s doing.”

Tomorrow without Italians.

“We have looked for Italians, only we have not been able to close. We got Sottil. We want Italian players, but every situation is different. We try to bring the best players to Milan. When you’re at Milan, no one has a guaranteed spot, there’s always someone next to you who can take your place. And if there isn’t, then we bring them from outside, Italian or foreign. We look for profiles that can fit at Milan. There are many great players, but when you play in front of 80,000 people it’s different.

I’ve seen many players who couldn’t play at Milan, then they went to other places and did well. When you’re at Milan, you have to bring results. That’s why Milan players become legends: because they bring results and trophies. We have our eyes on many Italians, but as you say the Italian market is different. But we’re not afraid, if it’s right, we do it”.