Milan midfielder Sandro Tonali explains why he’s a die-hard supporter of the Rossoneri, but admits the first football shirt he received as a gift was that of Chelsea’s Frank Lampard.
The Italy international released an extended interview with DAZN going through his career at Milan so far and his passion for the Rossoneri which started even before the midfielder moved to San Siro in 2020.
“I started as a striker, but with time I tracked back becoming a midfielder,” he recalled.
“The first football shirt I was gifted as a kid was that of Chelsea’s Lampard, then I received many of Milan. I support Milan because I used to watch games with my father. He used to attend away games too, he was a super fan, one of the Curva.
“He was always tense when Milan played and the first time I went to San Siro was for a 1-0 win over Chievo, Clarence Seedorf scored the winner in the final minute.”
Tonali struggled in his first season at the club, but the mood changed in his second campaign, after completing a permanent transfer from Brescia.
The 22-year-old sees a similarity between his first season at the club and Charles De Ketelaere’s recent struggles.
“I think it’s normal, it’s the same thing that happened to me,” he admitted.
“He was signed for a high fee and being in the spotlight creates pressure. We have to help him and when a game goes well, we’ll see the real De Ketelaere.”
The future of Rafael Leao remains uncertain with a contract expiring in 2024, but Tonali hopes his teammate will be more consistent on the pitch in the final part of the campaign.
“Leao is a special guy, on and off the pitch. You need two players to ma-mar him. When he turns on, we can score in a second. Perhaps he does not have consistency, but he needs motivation, he’s the best so he needs to show his quality at all times.”
The Rossoneri have recently changed the system with Stefano Pioli going for a three-man defence. They have improved after a tough start to the year and managed to qualify for the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time in over a decade, eliminating Antonio Conte’s Tottenham in the Round of 16.
“It was not easy to change everything, but this decision has helped us,” admitted Tonali.
“We didn’t play as we used to do, but we felt more confident.”