In the new episode of 'Inedito', a DAZN format, Alexis Saelemaekers opened up to his colleague Alessio de Giuseppe, discussing everything from family to Milan, Bologna, Roma, and much more. Here are some excerpts from his interview:
On his on-field versus off-field self:
"The person I am on the field is different from who I am off it. It doesn’t bother me, but it does make me a little sad because people can’t truly know me. The person I am on the field, since I always give 100%, sometimes struggles to control emotions. But the feelings that come out represent me completely, whether they are positive or negative."
On success, football, and family:
"What made me happiest was making my parents proud and helping them live better. At first, being young, we always talked about football. Then my parents understood that when I come back from work, I need to disconnect a little. My parents were crucial in my career because neither my mother nor my father wanted me to play football. I was raised to stay grounded and work hard at everything I do. That’s the most important thing because today I see more and more parents pushing their children to become the next Neymar or Ronaldo. Kids no longer play for themselves but for their parents, and fortunately, I never felt that pressure from mine."
On his experience at Bologna, Saelemaekers said:
"Bologna in one word? Surprise. I arrived at a time when I felt sidelined at Milan. That was my fault. I no longer felt like myself. When I joined Bologna, I was determined to make a difference. The players I worked with made me realize how important it is to truly work. Bologna was an important step in my career."
On his experience at Roma:
"Roma? Maturity. They saw my attitude (against Roma in the league) as something against them, when in reality I always stayed true to myself. They didn’t accept it, and I understand why—if I were supporting a team and saw a player who had played for my club behave like that, I would react the same way. But what I want to say now is that I am very grateful to Roma. I never had negative thoughts toward the fans or the city. I always did everything I could for the shirt I wore."
What Alexis Saelemaekers does off the pitch:
"I often play video games with Ricci. For example, Rafa doesn’t enjoy playing on the console, so we do other things. We always try to find something we both enjoy to do together."
Does he read social media comments?
"Once a journalist said that my style of play was a direct result of my parents not raising me properly. That really upset me because I knew they had read it, and that’s a terrible feeling… I wanted to respond so many times. But why give satisfaction to people like that?"
His relationship with Inter players:
"I’ve always had a good relationship with Calhanoglu. He helped me a lot, even off the field. We always had this connection. When he changed teams, we drifted a little, not because we aren’t friends, but because we had different paths. Sometimes we still call each other, but we don’t talk about football, just life in general."
On the Milan derby:
"The Milan-Inter rivalry will always exist. As soon as the week of the derby starts, it’s always on your mind. Before a match like that, there’s so much focus that no one talks. What you eat, how much you sleep can make a difference, and you try to give 100% to be ready for that game."
On Massimiliano Allegri, Saelemaekers said:
"Allegri is special to me, he’s unique. The way he sees football, his attitude, he’s one of the best I’ve had from a human perspective: how he treats us, jokes, and is serious when needed. He manages this perfectly. He calls me 'scheggia' (meaning splinter in English, editor's note) because I always go 100% (laughs)."
The strongest player he has played with:
"Hazard is the strongest player I’ve played with. What amazed me most was his humility. He reminded me of when Modric arrived. No matter who greets him, he treats everyone equally. He never puts himself above anyone. Some players lack this, but seeing it in a champion is always impressive. Dybala impressed me greatly because he’s technically flawless. Every move is perfect; he never makes mistakes. I enjoyed playing with him because he understands the game so well."
