At the presentation of the 20th "Amici dei Bambini" Tournament, Matteo Gabbia, AC Milan defender, spoke to Milannews.it microphones.
Here's what he said:
"The last night in the Champions League was not easy. We talked to each other, discussed things, and understood that the only way forward right now is to work, to give our best in what we do. The season is still long: there’s the league, the Coppa Italia, we have goals. We have a moral obligation to give everything for ourselves and for the fans who always support us. Therefore, we must try to achieve them, to do our best. That’s what we aim to do."
Why is this Milan so inconsistent? Gabbia replied:
"Certainly, we know that our season doesn’t make us satisfied because there were moments when we played well but couldn’t always maintain the consistency that was necessary. We talked among ourselves, we said things that stay between us, discussions that should remain in our locker room, with the coach, and with the staff. We need to try to do our best for the season in the most correct way and for the fans."
Did Theo Hernandez apologize for the bad night?
"Yes, absolutely. Immediately after the game, he apologized to the group. From my point of view, he didn’t even have to do that, but I’ve known him for many years: I know how much he cares about this jersey, about Milan, the fans, everything about Milan. Therefore, he wasn’t happy, he was disappointed, he was down. He’s one of our assets, he’s one of our champions, and we know he had a bad night, but just as he’s had bad nights before, he’ll have many more positive ones that will help us win points and trophies. All our support is with Theo, making sure he’s okay, making him understand that he made a mistake in an important moment, but there’s nothing more to add. He has Milan in his heart, and he will surely prove it."
How did you beat Inter twice and then struggle against objectively weaker teams, like Dinamo Zagreb and Feyenoord?
"I think that many games you consider easier have their difficulties, sometimes it also depends a lot on us. It’s right that we look at ourselves in the mirror and take responsibility. I, for example, in Zagreb. It’s normal that many games are tough, and the result can’t always be excellent. It’s normal that in a season there are ups and downs; our goal is to do the best possible so that there are more highs than lows."
When Sergio Conceição says 'the environment needs to change,' what does he mean? Does it also refer to dynamics within the locker room? Gabbia replied:
"No, I don’t think so. He’s very honest with us about what we need to improve, he’s been telling us that since he arrived, and he continues to say it today. The statements the coach makes, you should ask him about them. I know what the coach wants from us, and we try to follow him at all times."
Did you talk to Zlatan Ibrahimovic after the defeat?
"Zlatan, like the club, is always by our side. Both when things go well and when things go badly, they are there and talk to us, helping us understand their point of view. In this case, Zlatan spoke to us, and obviously, I can’t tell you what he said. Some things should remain between us. I just want to make it clear that the club’s support is always there, both in good and bad times."
