Fonseca: "My desire is to win with Milan"

The new Rossoneri coach Paulo Fonseca was interviewed exclusively by Milan TV. Here are all his statements after his first days in the Milan world.

First hours and first days in the Milan environment. What are your feelings?

"I have to thank the people who welcomed me here. I really enjoyed meeting the people who work at the Club. I really liked Milanello, the feelings are very positive."

Do you feel a different responsibility in coaching a historic club like Milan, which this year marks its 125th anniversary?

"Yes. As the coach of Milan, I feel a great responsibility but also a great pride. When you arrive at a club like Milan, there is the responsibility to defend a club with a history known around the world. You also have to have the ambition to win; at Milan, you have to work to win."

What image do you have of Milan's history?

"Many things, many players. Milan is a universal club. The whole world knows the history of Milan well. I remember following Milan, the team of Gullit, Rijkaard, van Basten, Baresi, Costacurta, Maldini, Tassotti… All these players I admired a lot. Milan's history is fantastic. I think it's hard not to remember these great moments in Milan's history."

Can you tell us about your childhood and past?

"I had a happy childhood; I grew up in a humble family. I was always playing football and cheering. I grew up in a normal, happy way. Times were different; we had the chance to have a childhood playing football in the street. I had a normal path in school but always with my mind on football."

You were born in Mozambique, grew up in Portugal, and then lived in Italy, Ukraine, France. How have you enriched yourself from this experience as a citizen of the world?

"I was born in Mozambique, a former Portuguese colony. We have a history with Africa and war. I was born there, but I must say that I immediately returned to Portugal with my family, I don't remember anything about Mozambique. Eight years ago, I left Portugal for the first time, and it was a great experience. First, because I got to know different cultures and then because I had the opportunity to start speaking different languages. In Ukraine, the experience was fantastic; here in Italy, everyone understood how much I like the country. Even in France, it was a good experience. I am very rich after these experiences. It is a great wealth."

What is your relationship with our country? Fonseca:

"I married a Ukrainian. When I stop, I don't know if I will return to Portugal or Ukraine; in our minds, there is the idea of living in a different country. I must say that I am passionate about Italy; it is a beautiful country, the food is good, the people are very emotional and friendly. When I left Rome, I seriously thought about living here in Italy. Today I am very happy to return, I feel very good here. I really like Italian culture. In the future, we will see what happens, maybe I will stay and live here."

How do you imagine Milan? Fonseca:

"I think all Italians are passionate about football. What I felt when I played here at San Siro was an incredible atmosphere. I expect to be able to live these emotions with our fans. I expect to build something here that makes the fans proud and to have this feeling of being one with the stadium when we play here at San Siro."

Unfortunately, in Rome, the pandemic forced most of the time to be spent between home and the sports center. How eager are you now to discover Milan, the fashion capital?

"When I arrived in Rome, I decided to live in the city; I like to experience the city's atmosphere. Here I expect to do the same. When we have the chance to live in a beautiful city like Milan, we must take advantage of what the city has to offer. I want to experience this in Milan; I don't know the city well and want to do so because I know it is a beautiful city."

Do you consider yourself a curious person? What is your greatest curiosity in approaching this new adventure?

"I am a curious person. There are many things I want to know, what I want is to see the passion of our fans at San Siro with the team."

How much do you want to see the Italian league with open stadiums?

"A lot, a lot, a lot. I have this desire to see this energy in all the stadiums in Italy, especially at San Siro."

Are you someone who has had a lot of courage in life?

"Yes. I think that if you want to win in life, you have to take risks, and to take risks, you have to have the courage to be different. We coaches have an obligation to the people who love football. We must not only win but also have a 'form' that excites the fans. We must create a spectacle, and to do that, we must have courage, we must have people working with us who have courage and live football with passion. This is my way of thinking."

Is the process of creating an identity an additional challenge? Zlatan Ibrahimovic:

"I think it is essential to create a strong identity in the team. That's what I want to do, to have a very strong identity that allows us to have quality in our game and the ambition to win every match."

How do you approach young players?

"In a normal way. For me, players don't have an age. If they have the courage and the quality to play, then I make them play. I know we have young players with quality. If they show they have courage, I make them play; age is not a problem for me."

Will your wife Kateryna follow you in this adventure in Milan? How important is your family in everyday life?

"My support is my family; it is essential to bring them here. Kateryna loves Italy, and I think she will be very, very happy in Milan, also with the children. For me, it is essential to have my family with me."

How do you manage to detach from football and spend time off the field?

"I work a lot, but when I get home, I find moments for the family. I really like music; the first thing I do when I wake up is turn on the music to start the day well. I am a very simple person: I find time for the family, to watch some TV series. For my balance, it is important to have these moments with my family."

What is the greatest football or life lesson you have received?

"I have received many. I believe a lot in honesty. When we do things with passion and honesty, we are rewarded for it. What has happened in my life has shown me that this is true. When we are honest with ourselves and those who work with us, it is easier to achieve our dreams."