Alexander Merkel, once a talented midfielder for AC Milan, now 29 years old and playing for Turkish outfit Gaziantep has spoken about the Rossoneri and revealed that he still follows his ex club:
"I've never stopped following Serie A, let alone AC Milan. The Rossoneri can win the Scudetto, even if there aren't as many champions as ten years ago. On the other hand, the new owners seem good at working with young people. Often people forget that footballers are human beings: a debut goal does not make you a phenomenon, a wrong pass does not make you a bad player. It is right to cultivate talent, everyone needs their time to succeed", he said to Gianluca Di Marzio.
The German-Kazakh player continued:
"Seeing Milan at the top makes me happy, it's time for their opponents to return to fear Milan as they did in the past. With someone like Ibra on the pitch, in fact, it couldn't be otherwis. Already in 2011, Ibra was able to stand out in every training session, even if in those days there were many top players in the team", said Alexander Merkel, "Ibrahimovic demanded the best from everyone and when he got mad he was really scary. Big and chunky as he is, he just needs to look at you to make you understand how it works. If you play with him, you have to give it your all. No fear of making a mistake, you have to be convinced of your means. If you miss this, Ibra does not give you peace."
Still on Ibrahimovic:
"He has always been a phenomenon, but I didn't expect to see him like this at 40. For Milan, he is an extra weapon, his leadership will be fundamental in the key moments. In the year of the Scudetto, I remember his reaction after the 1-1 draw at Genoa: we were all angry, but Ibra was a different case. At the entrance to the locker room there was a giant thermos, it weighed I don't know how many kilos, but Zlatan sent it flying across the room in an instant, kicking it as if it were a balloon. I've always wondered how he managed not to break his foot."
On Massimiliano Allegri, his ex coach at Milan:
"I will thank him for all my life. He was the first to trust me. He is among the best in the world. His success with Milan and Juve prove it, I am convinced that he will do well even now that he is back to the Bianconeri," added Alexander Merkel, "The team is not as strong as it used to be, but the coach is good at bringing out the best in everyone, taking advantage of the young players' skills and the experience of the older ones."
