MILANELLO: THE PRESENTATION OF BONDO AND SOTTIL
Press Conference
The week of getting to know the new Milanisti continues: after Santiago Gimenez on Tuesday, at Milanello it's time for the presentation press conferences from Warren Bondo and Riccardo Sottil. The new Rossoneri met with journalists, live on the AC Milan Official App and Milan TV. Introducing the two players, here are the comments from Zlatan Ibrahimović: "With Warren and Riccardo, we have found two young lads with important experiences in Italian football. Bondo is great at covering space. He does the work that is not always valued properly: he is a fundamental element for the team and knows how to play when in possession. He can also improve a lot. Sottil looks for the one-on-one opportunities, he scores goals and creates assists; he has important margins for growth. Our job is to make them grow and become even stronger, because they already are."
THE CALL FROM AC MILAN
"It's a great team, and when they called me I was delighted. There have been important players here, who I like a lot: Nesta - who I had as coach - as well as Ronaldinho, Pato, Ibrahimović, Seedorf. I want to thank Monza and Adriano Galliani, who is like a father, for allowing me to take this opportunity. He told me that he wouldn't let me leave for any team except AC Milan."
THE GOAL LAST SEASON
"It was my only goal at Monza, it was in my destiny. I told my family that I only wanted AC Milan, even if there were other offers. And now here I am."
AMBITIONS
"I want to win every game in the league, in the cup, and in Europe. The goal is to qualify for the Champions League and win a trophy."
NESTA'S ROLE AND ADVICE
"I can play as a playmaker or as a midfielder, it's simple for me. At Monza, I played in a two or three-man midfield. The coach (Nesta, ed.) told me that I'm a mix between Gattuso and Seedorf; the six months I spent with him were very important for me. He told me that it's real football here, and that I must do well."
ROSSONERI PASSION
"I wanted to thank Fiorentina, president Commisso, Pradè and Palladino, who allowed me to take this train. This is a dream come true, and I am grateful to those who gave me this chance - like CEO Furlani, Moncada and Ibrahimović - and believed in me. As a child, I grew up watching the AC Milan of the Fenomeni; I had a soft spot for Pato and I grew up with the AC Milan of Ronaldinho and Zlatan. It's a passion that goes way back."
THE CLOSING TRANSFER MARKET
"It was a long day, I was at the camp and I got a call from my agent after training, which I didn't answer straight away.They told me there was a possibility of coming here and I didn't speak except talking to my father about it. I got a bit anxious and waited at home on the couch, but it went as I hoped."
ADLI'S ADVICE
"He texted me, “let me dream”. I thank him because he's a great guy: we talked about AC Milan when he arrived in Florence."
LEO AND WALKER
"Rafa is a very strong player, from whom you can learn a lot. He has an enormous talent; I have to try to steal his movements with my eyes. He's a champion and when AC Milan won the Scudetto, he had a sensational season. Kyle has won everything; he is a champion. Seeing him arrive on the pitch and heading straight to the gym makes you do it too. You realise how much work there is behind getting to be like him."
EXPECTATIONS, AMBITION AND ROLE
"At a club like this, the goal is to win. I'm here to make myself available to everyone, from my teammates to the coach, and prove that I can stay here. I'm in a team with very strong players, and I'm ready to compete to mature in all aspects.I'm ready to play. In today's football, you have to know how to cover both phases, even if you are a winger. Everyone has to contribute to win, and I'm ready to do that."
THE WEIGHT OF THE SHIRT
"When you enter Milanello, you feel the history, what this team has won. You see photos of champions, of Ballon d'Or winners, of Scudetti and Champions League celebrations. If you're a footballer, it's these champions who give you that fire inside. I am really very happy here."
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