Ruud Gullit, legendary former AC Milan player, granted an exclusivee interview to those at La Gazzetta dello Sport.
Here are his words:
“Morata is a great signing, a striker who knows how to score, but his teammates need to put him in a position to make an impact. He always contributes because he moves across the entire offensive front and opens up spaces. A player like that is always useful and can solve many problems.”
On Zirkzee, he said:
“Zirkzee should have said yes to Milan instead of moving to Manchester United. He knew Serie A, and a couple more seasons in this tournament at a top club like Milan would have been very beneficial for his development. Now, he’s in a club with many problems that doesn’t facilitate his growth.”
On Tijjani Reijnders:
“I saw him a few years ago in the second team of AZ Alkmaar, and although his quality was evident, I wasn’t sure he would become the player he is now. Last season in the Rossonero jersey, he had incredible growth in terms of personality and performance, and he also had a great European Championship with the Netherlands. He is a key player for both Milan and the national team.”
On whether he celebrated after the derby, Gullit said:
“Of course. The Rossoneri colours have stayed in my heart. The victory against Inter was deserved because in the second half, Fonseca’s team showed character and imposed their game.”
On Paulo Fonseca:
“His style of play is... ambitious: you achieve certain results more easily through play, and he is focusing on that. It takes a bit of time to convey his ideas to the team, but the path seems to be the right one, as evidenced by the three consecutive victories in the league.”
Scudetto objective?
“I speak as a fan, and I say yes. That said, I think it’s not fair to put pressure on this group that has changed almost two-thirds of the squad over the last two summers, in addition to the coach who has a different way of playing compared to his predecessor. Two draws and a loss in the first three matches didn’t reflect Milan’s value. The last three victories in Serie A have set things right, even if the team is still in a phase of growth: it needs to work day by day because there’s significant room for improvement, especially in defense.”
On the Champions League, he said:
“The new Champions League has a different format compared to the past, and with eight matches in the first phase, it provides the opportunity to recover. Milan’s schedule was objectively complicated because facing Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund, for a team that has been working together for less than three months, is not ideal.”
Gullit also commented on Zlatan Ibrahimovic's role at Milan:
“I have known him for several years, since he was young and playing in the Netherlands. Ibra was a player different from the others, and now he’s a person... different from the rest. He is unconventional in the way he communicates, but certainly, his attitudes help relieve pressure from the team. He never does anything casually, and his press conferences are never boring. Should he remain as a director? Without a doubt. The world of football needs him as he is. In fact, we need more players like Ibrahimovic... Especially because he is knowledgeable and recognizes talent at first glance: few in the history of football have had as much as he has. I am convinced he will do a great job at Milan: as a player, he always wanted to win, and I don’t think he has changed his mentality. Quite the opposite...”
