AC Milan's midfielder, Rade Krunic, has spoken exclusively to the microphones of SportMediaset ahead of the game that Milan will play tomorrow at the Olimpico against Roma. Here are his statements:
"Pioli? The coach has always relied on me, not just during this period. I missed games at the worst time of the season due to injury, but I am happy to have played the most important games of last season and also this year, where I have played almost always in the Champions League. I am also playing a lot in the league and I am pleased that the coach has so much confidence in me."
On his role, Krunic said:
"I have changed a lot compared to Empoli, where I was more of an attacking midfielder, scoring many goals and being very present in the opponent's area. Here at Milan, I have changed a lot, receiving many instructions from the coach and staff on how they want to play. I want to help the team in every way, and I think I am doing well this year, in a role that suits me better."
Are you a defensive midfielder or an attacking midfielder?
"I like both roles, but the way we are playing now, I think this is the role that allows me to help the team more with my experience. I can express myself better in this position."
On being underestimated, Krunic said:
"I felt underestimated, although I don't feel that way anymore. At the beginning, even the fans had this feeling, but from my teammates, the coach, and the club, I have never felt underestimated and I have always had their trust. And that is the most important thing for me. Maybe I am still underestimated now, but I don't care."
On the assist to Rafael Leao:
"These are beautiful moments, when you score a goal or when you make an assist, you are more satisfied. People who don't follow the games much only see this, but those who know how to watch football can understand what I am doing on the field and what I am doing for my teammates. When they tell me that I am an intelligent player, I am satisfied."
Krunic on his life off the field:
"I am a very simple guy, I don't have the personality to do things off the field like Theo, I am a bit embarrassed, but I appreciate it a lot. Then those things look good on Theo, if I do them, not so much."
A bet in case of a Champions League victory?
"For these things, like for the Scudetto, I can be a bit of a clown, it's not a problem, but in everyday life, I want to try to be an example for everyone."
On the birth of his son:
"On April 19th, my first son was born, it was the most important satisfaction of my life. And this makes me more calm even on the field because I am more satisfied and happier outside of it."
More tension for his son or Napoli:
"We returned late from Napoli and then my wife and I went to the hospital very early to prepare everything for the birth. I only asked her not to give birth on the 18th, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to be there because the match against Napoli was too important for us. In two days, I had two incredible satisfactions, it was a perfect week."
Krunic added:
"Derby in the Champions League? We try to think one game at a time, but obviously that is an important challenge that is inside each one of us. Surely we are thinking about it a bit even if we have to put it aside because many important matches await us in the league. When the day comes, we will think about the two derbies."
On the decline of form in the month of January for AC Milan:
"It's not easy to explain, the attention has dropped a bit, mentally we were not at the level of Milan, then surely the World Cup had an impact. We had two teammates who lost the World Cup final and this was difficult for them. But now it's a past period, we have to look ahead, we did well to come out of it. Personally, it was the worst period of my career in terms of results, but now the music has changed, we are the team everyone knows, since last year."
On the two lost derbies, Krunic said:
"Now it will be different. This is the right time for us, we play well, we train with more tranquility. In the Supercoppa, we were going through a bad period, coming from a draw against Lecce, I was injured but I saw a team without confidence and without clear ideas. It was not Milan, but now we have come out of it and we are a different team."
