Fikayo Tomori explains how Paolo Maldini, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and the Milan trophy room ‘wowed’ the defender on loan from Chelsea. ‘Ibrahimovic is like a father figure.’
The first leg of the Europa League Round of 16 with Manchester United ended 1-1 and the decider will be at San Siro on Thursday at 20.00 GMT.
Tomori already played the first leg and has become a regular in the Rossoneri defence after making the move on loan from Chelsea.
“Before I came here I spoke to Paolo Maldini,” Tomori told The Times newspaper.
Fikayo Tomori explains how Paolo Maldini, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and the Milan trophy room ‘wowed’ the defender on loan from Chelsea. ‘Ibrahimovic is like a father figure.’
The first leg of the Europa League Round of 16 with Manchester United ended 1-1 and the decider will be at San Siro on Thursday at 20.00 GMT.
Tomori already played the first leg and has become a regular in the Rossoneri defence after making the move on loan from Chelsea.
“Before I came here I spoke to Paolo Maldini,” Tomori told The Times newspaper.
“Obviously I knew it was a big club and he said it was a big club, but when I arrived and went to the museum at Casa Milan, and saw all the Ballons d’Or here, the pictures of the greats who have gone before, then the seven Champions League trophies, you really do feel it… Like, wow.
“When I go to the training ground and see the pictures and names on the wall of people who have set records, like [Andriy] Shevchenko, Maldini, Kaka and [Clarence] Seedorf, and I’m thinking that they’ve all been here, they’ve all sat in these changing rooms, played on these pitches. All those moments fill you with pride. You breathe it in.”
The defender has always confessed that speaking directly to Maldini made a big difference in his decision to join Milan.
“You feel his presence. As much as I’m playing for myself and for the team and the manager, I want to impress him.
“It’s like if you were an attacker and one day Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi was your sporting director and saying these words for you. It’s crazy.
“Before every game, he talks and says come on and says well done after. If I haven’t played well he’s still there saying well done.”
The 23-year-old is taking Italian lessons, has been enjoying the coffee culture in Piazza Duomo with Alexis Saelemaekers and learning from Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
“Now, I have the chance to play for AC Milan, play in Serie A, learning something new and having the likes of Ibrahimovic, [Mario] Mandzukic, and Paolo Maldini, to learn from.
“Ibrahimovic is a father figure for the squad. Even when he’s not playing, like now with the injury, he comes in the changing room and talks as if he’s starting the game. He’s got that aura, that persona.
“He’s motivating himself and that motivation radiates towards the team. When he’s around you feel his presence — it’s not intimidating or daunting, everyone wants to up their level, you want to reach that level and meet his expectations.”
As for the future, Milan have a €25m option to buy him permanently, but Tomori knows it’s not necessarily in his hands.
“At the moment, I’m enjoying being in Milan, playing games and having this experience. Whether I’m going to stay here longer or not I don’t know. I try not to think that far ahead. The people who need to think that far ahead will do that and whatever needs to be done will be done.
“There’s still a long way to go in the season but I know that I have it in me to do it. Mentally, I was ready to do it and if the opportunity comes at Chelsea, or here, or at another club, or wherever it may be, I’m prepared for it and can learn a lot from it, so it’s an exciting time for myself.”