On the day of his meeting with fans at the Flagship Store on Via Dante not long ago, Davide Bartesaghi also gave an interview to the club’s official channels in the 'On the Road' format. Here are all his statements:
What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you walk through the gates of Milanello?
“Just walking through them is incredible. I remember the first day I came here to train… my father still used to bring me, and it was an unbelievable emotion for both of us. Every time I pass through those gates, I try to remember the boy I was, so I always try to give my absolute best on the pitch.”
Bartesaghi, how big of a Milan fan are you?
“A huge one. I’ve known it since I was really young. My father passed on his passion for Milan to me, and then when I was little I started playing here, so I’ve been a massive fan since childhood. My very first memory was the day of my trial. I walked through the gates of Vismara and found myself in front of two legends, Paolo Maldini and Angelo Carbone. But especially for my father, he knew them better. It was something incredible.”
What was the first Milan shirt you had?
“I think my father gave it to me, but I don’t remember the year. It didn’t have a name on it, just a couple of signatures. I’ve got it framed on my bedroom wall.”
At what age did you start playing football?
“More or less at five years old, with the team in my town. I spent a couple of years there before joining Atalanta’s youth academy for a year and a half. Then walking through the gates of Vismara was a dream.”
What’s your relationship with the area where you grew up?
“I love it. I still live there. I’ve got everything there, family and friends. I feel really good there. When I have free days, I spend some time relaxing, walking by the lake with friends, and I feel great.”
Do you ever go out on the lake by boat?
“I’ve done it a few times. Obviously I don’t have many free days, but when the weather is nice and my friends are free, we take a boat and go for a nice ride.”
Who was your idol as a child?
“Besides Maldini, I used to watch Marcelo. That’s when I really started getting into football. I was speechless.”
What’s Modrić like? Bartesaghi replied:
“He’s an exceptional person, as well as a great footballer. There’s so much to learn from him, both in how he trains and who he is off the pitch, which is very important. The first time I saw him in a Milan shirt… I watched that moment with my father because we were at home eating when the signing became official. The next day I found him at Milanello, and it felt surreal, because a few years ago I never imagined I’d share a pitch and dressing room with him.”
Has a more experienced teammate ever given you advice to help you?
“There are several people who’ve spoken to me, Rafa, Gabbia, Modrić… they’re very important figures in the dressing room. I’ve got a good relationship with them and they always try to help me, whether things are going well or badly. Gabbia is always close to me, we do everything together. He’s the person I’m closest to at Milan. Rafa, after I scored a brace, besides giving me a framed picture of my photo, which was a great gift, told me that the hardest moment would come. I really appreciated that because he’s a top person and I care about him a lot.”
How would you describe manager Allegri?
“In one word? Funny and positive. He always tries to find the right side of things and stay positive, and he asks the same from us. He says negativity doesn’t bring good results. There’s no need to say he’s a great coach, I thank him for what he’s giving me.”
Bartesaghi, is there a match you’d like to replay?
“I’d say the Youth League final. The year before we reached the semi-finals and we worked incredibly hard, especially with coach Abate, who was very important for my career. That’s the match I’d like to replay. There was too much work behind it, and we lost it in a slightly questionable way.”
What have your years in Milan’s youth sector given you? Is there something in particular that helped you grow?
“I’d say the journey with the Under-23s. From one perspective it wasn’t a great experience, but as I’ve always said, the results of hard work show especially when things aren’t going well. Last year wasn’t easy; it was a new category with a new project. The results in the table weren’t good, but as a person I changed a lot.”
After the relegation to Serie D following the defeat to SPAL, did you expect to reach where you are now?
“No, I didn’t imagine it. But I was working towards it. That night I was really devastated. I didn’t expect to hit rock bottom. It helped me, though, and it was an important life lesson.”
What music do you listen to before a match?
“I usually listen after my pre-match snack, around 5:30 pm. It’s a moment where I mentally prepare and focus on what might happen, the music gets me fired up. I listen to some Italian trap, some reggaeton, even some French songs they play in the dressing room.”
What do you do as soon as you step onto the pitch?
“I greet the kids, make the sign of the cross, say a phrase as a superstition, and then I look at the stands. They always give me that extra boost, that emotion that tells me to give something more.”
Is there something you always do after a match?
“Not really. Maybe I sit down while everything is still fresh and mentally analyse the match. Then when I get home, I might watch it again. If I know I played a great match, I try to focus even more on the details, because that’s what makes the difference.”
Which match are you most attached to since playing for Milan’s first team? Bartesaghi said:
“The day I scored a brace,14 December (against Sassuolo). It was an extraordinary day. Hearing your own name shouted at San Siro is truly incredible. I think it’s something unique. When people ask me what it’s like to hear my surname at San Siro, I struggle to answer because it’s a very strange feeling.”
What had Corradi said to you during the week?
“We were preparing for the match and he said, ‘When are you going to score one for me?’ The week before in Turin I’d tried to score with a header and the goalkeeper made a great save, so he teased me a bit. But afterwards I gave him a good answer (laughs).”
A message for the fans?
“A huge thank you for everything they’re doing, even just for the support they give us match after match, no matter how things go. Especially this season, you can really feel the support at home, and that’s what pushes us to do well in the final minutes, to come back in matches like we’ve done at times.”
