The derby hero, Matteo Gabbia, has met with fans and also spoke with the media at AC Milan's Flagship Store on Via Dante. Here are the centre-back's words, as relayed via Milan News:
You said it was the best day of your life. A few hours later, have you realised what you've done?
"I’m very happy, yesterday was a very, very beautiful day. I received so much affection, both from all the fans and from my teammates. Today, we’ve started thinking about Friday’s game (Milan-Lecce)."
A very special celebration, seeking the crowd's affection... Gabbia answered:
"It was a really nice celebration. My goals with Milan have always been a bit unusual. They’ve never been goals that led to a victory, we were already winning. I was a bit unlucky with that, but let’s say that the goal the other night made up for everything, and I enjoyed it fully with the fans. Feeling all that warmth was really special."
Have you put Milan back on track?
"The spirit hasn’t changed; I said it even after the game: we’ve always worked well, giving our all. This is what we need to keep doing. We want the season to go as well as possible, but that depends on us."
Luciano Spalletti was in the stands on Sunday. Do you hope for a call-up to the national team?
"I haven’t spoken to Mister Spalletti. It’s a dream I hope can come true in the future. But right now, the national team is not my priority. My priority is Milan and Milanello, and trying to do the best I can for this shirt because that’s what matters most. Milan is my priority."
Is it dream to score under the Curva Sud in the Derby?
"Absolutely yes. Honestly, I was just hoping for a good team victory and a great performance, and then what happened was fantastic. I’m happy about the goal, but I’m even happier about the team’s victory, which is what we needed."
What would young Matteo say?
"Young Matteo obviously dreamed of it, but imagining something this beautiful was hard."
A practically perfect 2024, could the renewal be the cherry on top?
"As I said before, I have a contract with Milan, and I don’t know what the club will do. They know what I’d like, but I wear this shirt, and I’m happy with that. For now, I don’t feel the need; I have a contract. I’m calm and serene. The important thing is to keep doing well, which is the priority for me, the coach, and the club."
What did those six months on loan at Villarreal give you? Gabbia said:
"They were part of my growth. They gave me the chance to play more consistently and learn a new style of football. My journey has been good because of that too. Every step I’ve taken has helped me in some way. Now I’m back at Milan and trying to enjoy every moment to stay here as long as possible."
What’s your general assessment of the start of the season so far?
"Certainly, we’re not entirely happy with the points we have in the league, but looking back isn’t important right now. We have to look ahead to try and achieve satisfaction, knowing that everything we do now can lead us to a good path by the end of the year. It’s still early; everything is still possible."
Does this victory help bring the group together again?
"Honestly, losing the derbies bothered us a lot. Many times, people think we just play and move on, but the disappointments often stick with us too. I think winning the match against Inter the other day was important, but we also have the clarity to understand that it’s still just three points. To make this game really significant for us, we need to keep building on it."
Were there any unexpected messages? Gabbia said:
"No, nothing unexpected. I received a lot of messages, many really beautiful ones. Many people I’m close to and who have been part of my journey wrote to me, sent me a message and a thought. I tried to respond to everyone, but in any case, I want to thank them again. It was nice to receive a thought from them."
