At the 'Festival dello Sport' event, former AC Milan striker, Jean-Pierre Papin, shared significant anecdotes about his career as a player, recounting his experience in the world of the Rossoneri club and his unforgettable first encounter with Silvio Berlusconi. The Ballon d'Or winner of 1991 also spoke about the upcoming Champions League match between PSG and Milan, and drew a comparison between Mbappè and Leao:
"I left Marseille after wonderful years, 6 incredible years with many goals scored and several trophies won. In my last match with OM, I bid farewell to my fans and said that I would go play for Milan. Marseille was the place where I became a player, but I decided to choose Milan because it was my dream. At that time, they were the strongest team in the world, and having the opportunity to play for this club was a true privilege. Additionally, I would be playing with Marco Van Basten, who was an idol to me. At Milan, there were three Ballon d'Or winners: myself, Gullit, and Van Basten. There's not much more to add. The strongest team in the world."
On the emotion of winning the Ballon d'Or in 1991, Papin said:
"When I won the Ballon d'Or, they called me at home. I thought it was a joke and hung up. They called again 5 minutes later, and my wife answered. She understood that it was all true. It's an award that stays with you for a lifetime, something marvelous. In my time, I don't think it was worth more or that it was more difficult to win. You have to be very good, always."
Regarding the meeting with the late Silvio Berlusconi and his friendship with Olivier Giroud:
"The first meeting with Berlusconi was in Arcore. He sent someone to pick me up at the airport. When I entered his house, he welcomed me by playing a French song on the piano. Inside, I thought to myself, 'Where have I ended up?' We had lunch together, and he spoke to me in French. I saw all the trophies he had won, displayed there in Arcore. His Milan was truly another world. I often talk to Giroud, and every time he talks about Milan, he gets goosebumps. Olivier also told me about the match in Genoa. Only a madman could make that choice and that save, but he's an incredible professional."
On the upcoming Champions League match between PSG and Milan, Papin said:
"PSG-Milan will be played soon. They've hired a good coach in Luis Enrique. The problem for the Rossoneri is stopping Mbappè because he remains the strongest of them all. They need a perfect game like the one Newcastle played against them. Kylian is a killer, he can make the difference in an instant. Rafael Leao is equally capable, but in this regard, he's less consistent in being decisive compared to Mbappè. It's still a balanced match. Mbappè needs to win the Ballon d'Or, the problem for him is that doing great things in the French league isn't enough. Donnarumma, for me, is one of the best goalkeepers in Europe. I don't know why, in some important matches, he makes incredible mistakes", said Jean-Pierre Papin.
On Yacine Adli's impact in Serie A:
"I spoke with Adli because I was living in Bordeaux. I told him he had a problem for Italian football: he didn't know how to defend. He only had offensive skills. Now he's understood what the problem is, he's adapted to Italian football, and Pioli knew how to work with him."
