Today, AC Milan Women’s team defender Giorgia Spinelli gave an interview to the Radio Rossonera microphones during “Il Diavolo Veste Rosa”, a weekly show dedicated exclusively for the rossonere hosted by Lucia Pirola and offered some interest insights about her life and career.
On the qualification to the Coppa Italia semifinals
"Well, let's say the important thing was to qualify. We wanted to win on the pitch, but we're happy to move on to the semi-final and play a Derby."
On her Reims spell
"Yes, i played 3 years in france. I think that being captain in the second division and after, during the promotion for the first division, for me was something really special and let's say that I would never have imagined that, and yet, the captain's armband arrived in a very unexpected way. I really cherish those memory of that experience in France. I have to say that it influenced me as much as a player and personally as it was my first experience away from home. It was the first time in a long time that Reims played in the first division and look, it was extremely exciting for everyone in the club, in the city.”
On the captain’s armband
“Well, as far as I know, my coach at that time just asked me to be captain. Now, imagine me a foreigner who had recently arrived wearing the armband. I was told that there were people here and there that didn't agree. So, they asked me once, i said i didn't feel ready at that moment, and she said, ok, no problem. But 10 days later, the coach said "look, now you have no choice". We were winning, we were playing well, she had the support of the team and I was very happy to wear it. It happened in a very surprising way as she called me, asked to check something with her and when I arrived, it was the captain's armband that she wanted to show me, it was just waiting there, then she looked at me and said "now you have no choice. Go to the field and play as you know " and that happened on a game day, so I had nothing to do, really!”
On what impressed her the most in France
"The fact of playing against Lyon or PSG, which I believe are clubs, with top players, was the most striking fact of my career there, because it gives you a sense of their level, perhaps Lyon more than PSG, and I had the bittersweet experience to mark Ada Hegerberg, winner of the Women's Ballon d'Or as well. So, I think those matches are the ones you will remember for the rest of your life.
They (Lyon and PSG) are very strong, even though this year is not in the best moment, last seasons they were much stronger, but they have been at a high level for years and can allow themselves to relax a little, so to speak."
On the 2019 World Cup in France
"I saw it as an Italian, even because I was in Italy and not in France at that time. This nazionale was a great surprise and we hope to continue to. But the fact they played in Reims, in my city for years, pleased me a lot and I was also able to participate in a pre-match event, and that was very special for me."
On the Women’s Football in Italy
"I think we are on the right track, we are seeing a lot of investments and the big teams are getting closer to the women’s football. I won't say next year or next, but in the near future we will be able to compete with these big clubs, so I believe that this is the path, it is a launching pad."
What makes a great team
"I believe that within a team you need a mix of experienced, young, foreign players who have seen other championships because I think that having different types of players at their disposal the team can get good results. At Milan we have a good mix, we are a competitive team and I hope that soon we can achieve great things."
On the crazy number of languages this team speaks
"I must say that we try to speak as much as possible in Italian, but I am used to it since France, where we spoke French, English and I heard some teammates talking in Russian, Spanish and Portuguese. I was already used to these lots of languages in the field and in the locker rooms. Certain is that the main language is Italian, and everyone knows a bit or, at least, understand a little. With Agard I speak French sometimes even to keep myself trained."
On how to prepare for those UWCL games in the future
" I don't want to talk about Europe because, you know, superstition. But I think this is a mix of experience and preparing well, paying attention to details, as the European style of play is quite different from that of the national league."
On the goal against San Marino
“Look, I thought "if the ball comes in my direction, I will kick in the goal", when it arrived, I saw that I was free, there was almost nobody in front of me, and there was still a little help from the goalkeeper, but if I hadn't tried, would not have scored. I was incredibly happy!”
