Alexandre Pato has spoken about Milan again, and he did so without hiding a hint of regret over how his time with the Rossoneri came to an end. The former Brazilian striker was a guest on 'Storie di Serie A', a 'Radio TV' Serie A programme, looking back on his arrival in Milan, the years he spent alongside some of the biggest stars of that era, and the moment he left.
For Pato, the choice to join Milan was practically immediate:
"When I played PlayStation, I would choose Milan. When it came time to make a decision, I didn't think twice: they had just won the Champions League, there were seven Brazilians, and my idol was Ronaldo, who played for the Rossoneri."
Among the options for his future was also Milan's other team:
"Inter were also among the clubs that approached me, but even today I think Milan was the best choice."
Arriving at 'Milanello' at a very young age, Pato immediately found himself surrounded by champions: "You looked around and saw Pirlo, Nesta, Maldini, Seedorf... for me, it was a lot of fun." The Brazilian particularly remembered Ronaldo, his idol, and Ronaldinho: "The only player who impressed me was him."
He also had words for those who helped him develop: "Seedorf gave me a lot of advice, not just about football, but about many other things too. The same goes for Ancelotti."
Ibrahimovic's approach was different...
"Ibra would tell everyone off in training, precisely to make you perform better."
The most significant moment, however, concerns January 2013, when Pato left Milan to return to Brazil with Corinthians. Years later, the Brazilian has spoken about that decision in very clear terms:
"I didn't want to leave Milan, at the time they made me believe it was the best choice."
When asked which moment of his career he would like to relive, Pato had no doubts: "Going back to Milan. I would have returned immediately."
There was also room to discuss today's Milan, and Luka Modrić in particular:
"I would buy Modrić's shirt. He is also my friend. He is an incredible player, he plays very well for Milan, and when he is on the pitch, the Rossoneri are a different team. I'm very happy that he is here."
