In the second and newest episode of 'Unlocker Room - The Rossoneri Podcast', a new podcast curated and produced by Milan featuring some of the protagonists of the Rossoneri team, Milan defender Matteo Gabbia was a guest.
Here are his words:
"Honestly, I think it comes from social media, where funny nicknames are often created. Having Fik and Ruben, other English guys, it's nice to share it in the locker room."
On social media:
"If I play a great game, I hardly let it get to me. Before, I used to suffer much more if maybe I couldn't give what I wanted: now I understand that it took away important energies from me. In the last two years, I've found a balance in this regard: I don't give it much importance anymore because I hardly watch it anymore, and consequently, I experience it as something restricted to my friends, outsiders, and football. It's more of a fun thing now."
On this year's season, with the loan to Villarreal, Gabbia said:
"It was very strange. I knew I had to leave in the summer, I had also talked to the coach. At the beginning of the summer, I had some opportunities that didn't give me the excitement I wanted to feel. The day we left for America, my agent told me not to leave because everything was done with Villarreal. But we were on the plane, so I left. My agent spoke to Director Furlani and some things were still missing, they told him that until everything was defined I had to rightfully stay with Milan. I spent two or three days in Los Angeles until everything was finalised, and then I came back. It happened quite quickly and I liked it from the start as an experience, I was eager to get involved even in a different country and league. It was very nice, I was happy with the choice I made, how the six months went, and then obviously coming back."
On life and experience in Spain:
"It was definitely challenging, mainly because I had been in a personal comfort zone for 4 or 5 years: for me, Milan is family, it's faces I've known since I was little. Changing countries, a new city, and teammates who don't speak your language was certainly challenging but it was something that gave me a lot: the impact was very positive, there were positive and talented guys, even the coach who had an impact on my signing. Then it depends on how you approach it: I tried to make myself known for who I am, I was fortunate that there was Pepe Reina and also Raul Albiol who spoke Italian. It was a growing experience: already after a couple of weeks, everything was better, I found a home. An experience that opened my mind, I was unaware of the difficulties that could arise from one country to another but I was lucky to find everything immediately."
On maintaining a connection with Milan while on loan, Gabbia stated:
"For me, it's as if I never left, many times I felt the Italian guys with whom I had a daily relationship. Sometimes even the foreign guys. From that point of view, it's as if I never left because I knew what was happening, how the guys were doing, I watched all the games when there was a chance. I'm always connected to Milan also because I'm a fan, so I'm happy to see it. How did I experience the games as a fan? Certainly in a different way, with more excitement, as if I were an injured player at home... Now I watch Villarreal's games when they play but I don't have the same feelings as when I watched Milan's."
What changed to raise the level of performance?
"I don't think much has changed. I worked on myself, on what were weaknesses or what drained my energies. I think I improved the care of some details in work: it's not always about working more but maybe for me it was about working better but less. Sometimes when you don't play you want to show that you're there, you want to train more to be ready but this is not always a positive thing. I managed to find a safer comfort zone for me in terms of training and organizing the week: in Spain, I played more and it's not trivial, I had more continuity. I came back here and I had more continuity, playing consistently helps."
On the match against Barcelona, Gabbia commented:
"A beautiful match, it excited me: we lost 4-3 but with comebacks and counter-comebacks. We gave everything we had. They are objectively a strong team. Incredible individuals and young players who are very good: they launch them with such simplicity... I felt old because a 2007-born player is eight years younger than me. Yamal is something rare to encounter for technical quality but I'm not the one who should say it. Gavi was already more well-known and I knew what to expect from him during the match. Lewandowski? Very strong, even when you think you have him under control he can make a move where he steals your time or he shoots: he scored a goal that seemed lucky but he was there."
On how to deal with the striker on the field:
"I'm not the type of defender who likes to engage in trash-talking: I focus on doing things that are useful for my team. Then there are situations in a match where you talk to each other and respond, but those are limited to certain situations. It's not part of me."
An anecdote about the year of the Scudetto...
"I have a particular one with Zlatan, it was the week before the match against Sassuolo: we were on the verge of winning but it wasn't written yet, there was a bit of typical Italian superstition. I like to collect special shirts, from good opponents. I said to myself, I'll ask Ibra for his, we didn't know if we would win or if he would retire: he wrote to me 'Thank you very much for the Scudetto'. I said to myself, let's hope otherwise this shirt here..."
On the eve of Sassuolo, Gabbia said:
"There was a feeling of celebration but also the feeling of being really ready to experience that joy. As if we could only win. Actually, the arrival in Reggio Emilia was impressive, there were Milan fans everywhere. When we arrived at the hotel it felt like being at San Siro. It was wonderful also because the match started well from the beginning, apart from the first 7-8 minutes... Then with the quality of Rafa, Olivier, and Franck, that match was decided. For me, it's the most beautiful emotion I've had in football."
On Zlatan Ibrahimovic's Scudetto speech:
"At first, there was the thought of retirement... There was the fear that he might stop, then fortunately he said no. I don't know if the speech was prepared but it encapsulates his experience, his leadership: saying the right things, at the right time, and in the right way that stimulate everyone. If one watches that video... Even today I would break a table (laughs)."
On what Stefano Pioli said before the match against Sassuolo for the Scudetto:
"The coach is very good because he understands well how the team is and he manages the words he says to us accordingly. He kept us calm and told us that we had done something very important and that we were close to achieving a historic milestone. He was very good, he didn't excessively burden us players with pressure, maintaining normalcy in the preparation."
On Milan - Roma for the Scudetto, starting alongside Pierre Kalulu, Gabbia responded:
"Quite special, there was still Covid: tests were done every day. We had returned from the winter break and Roma was the first match: the tests showed the positives of Fik and Romagnoli, so Pierre and I started training together three days before the match, knowing that if they were no longer positive, the starters would return. We faced it very well and played a lot as a team: a match I have good memories of. It gave us a good boost for the second half of the season."
On the experience as a ball boy at San Siro:
"I remember Milan-Chievo where Kakà scored a curling goal under the [Curva] Sud. Then there are others: a Milan - Verona with Toni that impressed me for his physical stature and it didn't seem possible to become so big."
On the relationship with his girlfriend, Gabbia said:
"Federica is very important to me, a fundamental part of my life: we support each other and do what a family does. She has always been by my side and in Spain she spent my period with me but then she moved here because she rightly wants to create an independent future for herself: she's studying to become a notary and it's something I also care about because I want her to fulfill her desires. Football? She supports Milan when we play but if I were to stop tomorrow she wouldn't watch games anymore."
On the passion for football:
"Before, I used to watch matches much more. Now if there's a good match and there's nothing else to watch, I watch it. But if I can clear my mind and go out for dinner, watch a movie, I do it..."
On his fear, Gabbia claimed:
"At a football level, I don't have big fears. Being afraid only leads you to something negative. You try to do the best you can and then you see. Generally, I'm afraid of sharks and deep water."
On what Milan taught him:
"It taught me to have consistency and seriousness in work and in respecting what Milanello is, the people who work there, and yourself when you're there. Respect all around when you wear this shirt."
Three people to thank? Gabbia replied:
"Bianchessi, who brought me to Milan. Filippo Galli, because he saw me as a central defender even though when I was little I didn't want to and didn't like it but in the end he was right. Finally, Stefano Pioli: he gave me confidence and the opportunity to live this dream of playing for Milan. Montella also deserves thanks, he gave me my debut, but with Pioli, I had a different continuity."
Three wishes?
"Health for me and my loved ones. Then a family future that is rich in positive things, a family that is beautiful to live with, to see, like the one where I grew up."
