AC Milan midfielder Tommaso Pobega has shed some light on how his adaptation is going after returning from loan to be part of the midfield rotations this time around.
Pobega spent time on loan with Ternana, Pordenone, Spezia and Torino as he was gradually sent on increasingly difficult assignments to gain experience and improve his development while Milan’s midfield department was supplied.
After returning from Turin in the summer, management made the decision to extend his contract and trusted him to be part of Stefano Pioli’s plans, with 11 appearances to his name already.
Pobega spoke during a new DAZN feature called ‘1v1’ about a number of topics ahead of tomorrow’s game against Monza.
How are you and how are these first months finally going as a Milanese player? Did you expect it?
“I’m fine. Yes, I was expecting it, I’m happy to finally be able to stay here. I’m happy with what we’re doing as a team, we can do even more for sure. After maybe a few years at the where I’ve had loans, coming back here has a different flavor, a sense of saying go, go, gain experience, perform at your best and come back here for a fantastic work environment.
“Coming out of the Primavera, I certainly wasn’t ready to jump any higher than I did. It took me every step to grow, mature and improve. I knew what season I was in. had in Spezia, I knew the level that was there, I wanted to do another test for myself and say: ‘ok, I want to go and do another year, get back into the game and try to do even better’.”
So far in the league, only one team has beaten you: Napoli. You lose that game and then you win three in a row in the league. How do you start over in this fierce fashion after losing a direct match?
“It was something even the coach talked about a lot in training, in the locker room: strong teams always come together after a little crash, because you can fall, but the important thing afterwards is to recover. back on track right away and to continue on the right path.” what you were doing, and we showed it in those three games and we have to keep it up.
Is there something about being a Milan player that you’re not quite used to yet?
“I’m trying to get used to it, but I think it’s hard to adapt to the love of the fans. I’ve lived in many different places where there’s still a lot of passion, the last year in Turin, there was a very passionate environment.
“But here in Milan, just like the numbers and the presence at the stadium, it’s something else. When you see the choreography they do before the game, you understand that it’s really beautiful and important.
Tell us about Gennaro Gattuso…
“I remember that when it was us at Primavera, we were four guys, some a little ‘older’, because there are more and more years together in the Primavera group. At the boarding school, we always had a separate table from the others, we were always there.
“When he heard about it from the guardians or from someone, he called us apart and said ‘I don’t want to see these things anymore because we are a team’. From that point of view too, he looked after the person’s appearance and the bonds that exist within the team.
Why did you choose shirt number 32?
“I always had even numbers, then when I had to choose I watched the Los Angeles Lakers series and there was Magic Johnson, a player I always liked in the NBA, I liked that as a number and I chose that.”
The university exam that gave you the most difficulty?
“Private law.”
Which Serie A midfielder gave you the most trouble?
“Last year, I can tell you Rabiot.”
Your childhood idol?
“Outside of football LeBron James, football…I loved Schweinsteiger as a kid.”
Name 4 Harry Potter characters…
“Dumbledore, Snape, Harry Potter and Hagrid.”
On TV: Champions League final or game 7 of the NBA final?
“If there’s LeBron, I’ll tell you Game 7.”
Milan for you in one word?
“Passion.”
