Fofana ‘very happy’ with Milan’s midfield signings: “I had to raise my level”

Youssouf Fofana was one of the goalscorers in AC Milan’s 23-0 win against Udinese, and after the game, he shared his thoughts with the media. 

Fofana has received mixed reviews at the start of the season, with many ups and downs, but he responded to the criticism yesterday. In addition to a good performance overall, he also found the back of the net with a nice finish.

Speaking to Sky Italia and DAZN after the game, as transcribed by MilanNews, Fofana shared his thoughts on the goal and the performance. He made it clear that defending is the most important part of the game, while also hinting at a ketchup effect for Santi Gimenez’s goalscoring.

The coach asked you to score 10 goals…

“It was a good match for us defensively, and then attacking is easier. The coach expects us [him and RLC] to score 10 goals, I’ll try.”

Is nailing the defence Milan’s focus?

“Absolutely. Last season we scored a lot of goals, but we conceded a lot. The focus is more on defence. Everyone knows that defence wins at the end of the season, and we need to do more defensively and then score two or three goals.”

What did you think when all these midfielders arrived this summer?

“Nothing. I was very happy because I had to raise my level in training. The quality of the midfielders who arrived is higher, and I have to raise my level, do my best for the team. It’s really good for the team to have these players.”

How much are you rooting for Gimenez?

“Forwards are a bit like that: they need to score a lot of goals. It’s like ketchup, when the first one comes, the others follow.”

Milan will be up against Lecce in the Coppa Italia next, scheduled for Tuesday evening, and it’s possible that Fofana could get some rest. Samuele Ricci has been knocking on the door for a starting spot and that could be his chance.