Alvaro Morata, the AC Milan striker, spoke to the media in a press conference, alongside Paulo Fonseca (read his statements here), the head coach.
Here are the Spaniards words:
Your buildup for Milan-Liverpool after the injury started with that training session in the rain?
"Since I signed with this club, I've dreamed of playing matches like this. Milan-Liverpool could be a final, yet it's the first match. We want to make our fans proud. We can't wait to play this game."
How are you approaching this match?
"The Champions League is the Champions League; it's different from everything else. It's true we needed a win to come into this match, but in the Champions League, it doesn't matter how you arrive. The best teams in Europe are here, and everyone knows the importance of the Champions League."
You've already scored against Liverpool in the past, Morata replied:
"The goal against Liverpool is a nice memory, but it's part of the past. Tomorrow, a new challenge begins. If you play for Milan, you have to dream: you look at the shirt, and it has the number 7. So you have to fight for the people. There's a lot of quality in this team, and we can win against anyone."
Your last European match was the final of the Euros against England. Tomorrow, you'll play your first Champions League match with Milan, also against an English team...
"Let's hope it ends the same way. These are coincidences, but they're good things, it means you're playing at the highest level. Tomorrow's match is a great challenge for us, but I don't think it will define the size of this team; it's just the first European match. We need to fine-tune a lot of mechanisms. In any case, we no longer have time to waste, especially in the league."
What is the difference between Italian football and English football? Morata said:
"The biggest difference is physicality. Italian football has changed a lot; there are many high-level teams now, and it's more similar to the Premier League."
On the 'European' Milan team:
"I often talk about this with my teammates. I've rarely seen such quality, but it's not always enough. We need to believe in ourselves; now we believe more in our ability to compete with anyone. Before, we were a bit emotional: if we conceded a goal, we'd already start to fall apart, and if we were dominating, we'd push even harder. We need to play with our ideas. The win against Venezia was no accident; it depended on how we worked during the week. If we don't believe in ourselves, the fans won’t believe in us either."
How happy are you to be back in Italy? How are you finding Milan?
"It's a pleasure to be back in Italy. We haven't shown yet how strong we are; there are many great players like Loftus-Cheek and Theo. Now we all need to understand that we're not just good prospects, we're great players. We have a lot of players who would play for the best teams in Europe."
Have you noticed a change in attitude in the team? Morata answered:
"How you play on Sunday depends on how you live here at Milanello, on how you train. We're here to win, Milan must win. In the last few weeks, there's been a change; we want to win every time. We need to be aware that we're here to win, not just to pass the time."
What do you think of the new Champions League?
"I like to think that changes are made to improve things, even if that means playing more games for us."
How are you physically?
"I'm well, I'm confident. Physically, I'm fine, I wouldn’t be available if I couldn’t give my all. I’ve worked a lot to improve my condition. The club also helped me by sending staff members with me to Spain for my personal situation. I thank them for that."
Sunday is the derby. Last year, you beat Inter (with Atlético Madrid). Morata said:
"Advice for the coach? No, the coach knows more about football than anyone. Winning brings more victories. But we’re not thinking about Inter now, otherwise, we’ll just waste energy. We’re only focused on tomorrow."
What do you think about Youssouf Fofana already speaking Italian?
"I've had many teammates, some never learned the language. Fofana speaks Italian, but he tries to speak Spanish with me, Portuguese with others. This is important. If you want to adapt like that as soon as you join a team, it’s a big deal. He’s doing everything he can to fit in. I like the way he commands me from the back. He can become a pillar of this team."
