AC Milan's Joao Félix presents himself to the media in a press conference today.
Here are his statements:
"It's been a fantastic week with two wins and a goal scored at San Siro. I expected it, but Milan is an immense club. You can see it from the outside, but when you're inside, you understand why it's one of the biggest clubs in Europe."
Fans love to dream, and for many, you bring back memories of Ricardo Kaká... Felix commented:
"He's my all-time favorite player. I never spoke to him about the fact that I was coming here, but I have talked to him in the past. I met him in the USA and did an interview with him. He's an idol. I can't compare myself to him, but I can only hope to achieve at Milan what he did."
How do you see the balance in the team when all four of you (João Félix, Christian Pulisic, Rafael Leao, and Santiago Giménez) are on the pitch together? Is it sustainable?
"Yes, of course. I don't know if it's normal or not, but usually, people emphasize how important defense is. But that doesn't mean that with four attackers, there won't be any defense. We are forwards, but when it's time to defend, we're there to do our part as well. We help in defense, we seek balance, as you saw in the second half against Empoli. We defended well and attacked well—it's possible to do both."
How did coach Sergio Conceição explain Milan's project to you?
"I already knew the coach, I even played against him. When I left Portugal, I kept following him. I told him that I would like to play in my role, but I didn’t ask to play a lot. That convinced me to come to Milan. I knew him beforehand, I know how his teams play—I like it a lot, and that’s also why I’m here."
You are the most expensive Portuguese player in history, but you have somewhat disappointed expectations. What went wrong? Would you like to stay at Milan beyond your loan?
"For now, I’m on loan until June. We’ll see how it goes. At the moment, I’m really enjoying everything—the club, the people, the facilities. I was welcomed very well, both myself and my family. I feel good here, but we know that in football, things can change quickly. If there were a chance to stay at Milan, I’d like that. In every club, I’ve had the expectation of playing at my best, and if things don’t go as planned, it’s important to be persistent."
There aren’t many attacking midfielders like you in Serie A… How do you see yourself in this role?
"I will do everything the coach asks me to do, at any moment and in any position. I’ll do my best and be available for the coach and the team."
How did Rafael Leao welcome you? Did he say anything to convince you?
"I have to say that he was the first to call me to ask if it was true that I was coming. He was asking me if I was going to sign or not. As soon as I did, he called me and was very happy. We have a good relationship, and we already have a good understanding on the pitch. I like having him by my side."
On Rui Costa:
"Of course, I know Rui Costa. When I played at Benfica, he was working there, and now he is the president. I spoke with him a lot when I was at Benfica, but in recent years, we haven’t been in touch much. I don’t remember when he played for Milan; what I know, I’ve seen on YouTube. But I know he is an idol here, just like Kaká, who made history."
Was Inter also interested in you? Felix replied:
"Yes, my agent told me about it. He said that Inter was interested. But I had already started negotiations with Milan and had already made up my mind to come here. I said it would be impossible—I had already decided to come to Milan."
San Siro immediately fell in love with you...
"I immediately loved the atmosphere at San Siro. I experienced a similar environment at Benfica and Atlético Madrid, but I have to say that here, it was different. I didn’t expect such a reception—you could really feel the fans’ affection. An incredible atmosphere, and I hope it continues like this."
Joao Felix on the choice of the number 79:
"The truth is that it's a number I'm very attached to, my first number as a professional. It's a special number, it will always be present in my career. I've always liked it. 79, 14, 11, 7... Numbers don't have much impact, but this one is special."
What goal do you set for yourself in these six months?
"My goal is to help the club and the team to win trophies. A player's career is made of this: titles. The important thing is to win and that's my goal. As long as I'm here my goal is to win titles and nothing else."
What is your relationship with set pieces? Do you take free kicks, penalties, or corners?
"Yes. Since I've been here, I've had two training sessions on the pitch, the rest have been recovery sessions. We haven't worked on this yet. But when needed, I'm ready to take corners and free kicks."
What do you think of Italian football after these two matches?
"It's too early to say. There's man-marking, which I see as a positive because with the right movements, you can find space. I've noticed that teams are aggressive, I expected that. There are a lot of duels."
Rui Costa has 55 assists at Milan. Do you see yourself as an assist man or are you someone who scores more goals?
