Alongside Ruben Amorim, AC Milan winger Alexis Saelemaekers also addressed the media on the eve of the friendly between Milan and Inter in Perth, Australia.
The Belgian paid tribute to Franco Baresi first:
"First of all, I want to offer my condolences to Franco Baresi's family and to everyone who was close to him. I'd also like to do so on behalf of all my teammates. Even though I only arrived in Perth recently, the first conversations I had with the squad were about Franco Baresi, and I could immediately feel how deeply saddened everyone was by the news of his passing.
Even if he wasn't always with us at matches, Franco always had a kind word or valuable advice whenever we met him. It was something truly special. For players like me, who never had the privilege of watching him play, you could still see that he was the perfect example of loyalty to the shirt and complete dedication to the team. You could tell Milan was in his blood, and he passed that feeling on every time we saw him.
These are very sad days for all of us, and we're deeply sorry that we can't be at his funeral. We'll give everything this season in his honour."
On his first impressions of Amorim and his coaching staff, Saelemaekers replied:
"It has been a very positive experience from the start. You can immediately feel the professionalism of the coach and his entire staff. He's already achieved great success with top clubs, and we're delighted to have him here with us.
We want to give everything for him because we know we can achieve great things this season. We have the right determination. The end of last season was difficult for everyone because we had big ambitions but didn't reach the goals we had set. This is a new season, and we'll do everything we can to perform better."
Saelemaekers on his preferred role in Amorim's 3-4-2-1 system
"As long as the coach puts me on the pitch, I'm happy. We haven't discussed it yet, but he already knows that wherever he plays me, I'll always give my maximum.
For me, what matters most is the team and Milan. We want to achieve great things, and I believe every player should be willing to play in any position and give everything. The mentality of every player will be crucial because that's how you win matches."
