Samuele Ricci spoke to 'DAZN' after the match between Pisa and AC Milan (1–2). Here are his words:
What did you think before passing the ball to Modric and then when the goal came?
“Modric passed me the ball and honestly I was expecting anyone but him. Instead, he came out of nowhere, from behind. Despite his age, he’s always hungry to win and never gives up an inch. He’s an example for us and for everyone who watches him from the outside.”
Ricci, you’re a tight-knit group and always focused:
“That’s a great strength. Many times, those who get called upon a bit less tend to shut themselves off, and not everyone reacts the same way, we’re all different. But the coach told us from the very start to always stay sharp and never give anything away. That’s a strength that, in the long run, whether it’s the last 2 minutes or the last 20, gives you something extra.”
What has Massimiliano Allegri given you more of?
“We all have to feel like starters. Sometimes you play from the beginning, other times you come on for five minutes or a quarter of an hour. You always have to be ready. We’re not wearing just any shirt, we have to honor it and give more than we can, more than 100%. From the start, the coach has always focused on character, mentality, and the desire to win. Today maybe it wasn’t a great match, but taking three points away from such a difficult ground is a sign that the team is doing well. Even if we don’t always play brilliantly, we’ll definitely improve.”
How much do you believe in the league title? Ricci commented:
"It’s definitely nice to be up there with all those high-quality teams. We take it game by game, we still have a lot of room for improvement. Even in a match like today, you have to manage to close it out. After the missed penalty, things got complicated and psychologically the game can turn. But we still need to improve a lot."
