Adrien Rabiot spoke about his physical condition among other topics ahead of the much awaited derby scheduled for this Sunday (November 23):
"I feel good. In these weeks I worked in the gym and outside. I just need the pitch! Physically and mentally I’m very well," he told DAZN.
On his determination:
"No athlete likes being injured. I regret not being able to help the team during this period. I took a bit more time to recover, because with the calf you have to be careful. Better not risk being out for another 3-4 weeks."
On his absence, Rabiot said:
"I always think I can help. If I’m there, we are stronger. I always give everything and do my best for my teammates. There were positive and negative moments. We did well against the big teams (Roma, Napoli, and Atalanta) but we lacked something against Pisa and Parma. There was less focus, the team was less solid."
On Massimiliano Allegri's mentality:
"I’ve always had a good relationship with the coach. I’m very happy to have him back. I like being with the right people. Milan is an extraordinary club with a rich history, and it would be great to win here. I think I’m in the right place to do what I love most and to keep improving. Allegri is fantastic, always positive, and knows how to communicate with everyone. On the pitch, I like his ‘anger,’ determination, and desire to win. I always relate to his talks. He always finds the right words, even when we didn’t play well at the end of a match. His personality stays with you, and this group of young players benefits from it. To him, I’m a ‘wild horse’: a player who always gives everything, moving back and forth. He likes horses, so I think he enjoys the comparison with horse racing.”
On the Milan derby:
"It’s an electric match. I’ve never seen it live, but I can’t wait to be there because I love matches like this. On TV you don’t feel the atmosphere, but it will be great to say I played such a derby. Would it be nice to win in the last minute with my goal? It will be difficult, we are two strong teams. It will come down to details. Maignan told me how important this match is, how crucial it is to win for the club’s history and the fans. All this motivates me. I can’t wait to play, especially because I haven’t played for a month and I really want to get back on the pitch.”
On the Thuram brothers:
"Marcus is a friend. We spoke a few days ago. I’ll message him before the derby. We can joke a bit, but not too much. We talk about many things. He asked if I was free during the break to go somewhere, but I had to work and preferred to stay focused on my recovery. We talk often and have a good relationship. Who is stronger, him or Khéphren? When Marcus talks about his brother he says he is stronger, has more quality, is younger, and has a lot to prove. I was impressed by how Marcus immediately became a key player at Inter in these seasons."
On the Scudetto race, Rabiot commented:
"We have a strong team. With my mentality I try to push all my teammates to give their best. We are a good group. The important thing is to stay close to first place, but it’s still a long way. There are many matches between November and December, including the Supercup, which is a target for us. By February we will have a small idea of how far we can go.”
