AC Milan legend Marco Van Basten has given an exclusive interview to AS, where he has spoken about his time spent with the Rossoneri and many other topics. Here are his statements:
On joining Cruyff's Barcelona:
"It's true, but it was never close. There were contacts with him, but at that time the Italian League was more than the Spanish one, I was very comfortable in Milan and Berlusconi was not very keen on letting me go."
On whether he was expecting Rijkaard to become a coach:
"Not at all, he was always joking, telling jokes and taking life with joy, the opposite of me. At Milan he was the happiest guy in the world because he wasn't obsessed with football. Later, when he returned to the Netherlands and played central, he became more focused. He always had a privileged tactical vision, without him, Sacchi's Milan would not have existed. It was balance, technique, and strength. He had it all."
On whether he enjoyed Sacchi's defensive football:
"But we were also good in attack. Sacchi was obsessed with tactics."
Is it true that at night he woke up the players who slept on the same floor of the hotel because while sleeping he shouted defensive slogans?
"Absolutely (laughs) he was yelling "offside" and other instructions. He thought 24 hours about football."
In multiple documentaries, Maradona explains that in his time the northern clubs like Milan, where you played, had an advantage over Naples, but your version in the book is totally the opposite, he even talks about "Stolen Scudetto", can you explain it to me?
"It was in the 90's, I think. Only one team went to the European Cup, but the rule changed and if you won the European Cup, the league champions could also go to the competition. We won the European Cup and in Italy they did everything possible and impossible for Naples to win that League and have two Italians in the highest competition. The refereeing scandals against Milan, Inter and Verona were incredible and the favors for Naples were constant. Napoli won by decree. The game that they were given in Bergamo with Alemao simulating an attack when they lost 2-0 was tremendous. They won that key game in the offices."
On Haaland:
"Haaland is not only strength, it has the ability to decide in a small space. Zlatan has already shown that corpulence is not incompatible with technique."
On the decision of retiring:
"I could see that I was not recovering and that no one could help me. I was trying and one day I said enough."
On what he was doing at the time:
"I will never forget it, it was an August day in Milanello. I was training alone and could not do the planned exercises. It had been a long time since I met my objectives and I was getting depressed. I decided there, alone, on the grass."
Would mvb score more goals than messi if he were playing today…fans comment please