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AC Milan will face Alberto Gilardino’s Pisa at San Siro tonight, and Serginho has lifted the lid on his former team-mate.
Together at Milan, Serginho and Gilardino won the Champions League, the European Super Cup and a Club World Cup, and they have friends off the field. Despite his connection with Gila, Serginho will be cheering for the Rossoneri tonight.
The Brazilian hopes Massimiliano Allegri’s side can secure another victory to continue their excellent start to the campaign. They are playing a Nerazzurri side who are bottom and yet to win, but the defeat to Cremonese in round one shows the dangers of newly-promoted teams.
Serginho spoke to La Gazzetta dello Sport in an interview published on the day of the game against Pisa, one in which Milan have a chance to open up a bit of a gap at the top, while waiting for other results at least.
Will your old team-mate Gilardino [the Pisa manager] be excited?
“Knowing him, yes, a little. It’s true that it’s not the first time and that as a player he faced Milan with various teams, but returning to the Meazza and hearing the chants of the Curva Sud is always a thrill for someone like him who has written important pages in Milan’s history.”
For example, in the 2006-07 Champions League, Alberto scored the 3-0 goal in the second leg of the semi-final against Manchester United…
“After the 2-2 draw in the first leg in Manchester, that was a tricky match. We played perfectly, and he sealed the win with the third goal that sent us to the final, which we eventually won in Athens. The 3-0 win against United was one of the best performances ever from that Milan team.”
Gilardino arrived at Milanello twenty years ago, in 2005…
“He was coming off a great season at Parma, but at Milan the competition was fierce because up front there were Shevchenko, Crespo, and Inzaghi. However, he proved to be a great striker and a very positive person for the team.
“On the pitch, he always made the right moves to free up his teammates or to find himself unmarked; in the dressing room, he was always positive, even if he was a quiet guy who stayed where he was.”
What was Gila’s best quality as a footballer?
“Goals were in his blood, he knew how to play football and he always had his sights on goal.”
Did you expect him to become a Serie A coach?
“We both had a great mentor in Ancelotti, a true champion. Alberto and I took the Coverciano course together, and he was always attentive, determined to learn every detail.
“He’s always been someone who doesn’t speak much, and I imagined that as a coach he might struggle when it came to raising his voice. Given the positive results he’s had so far in his team, he must have learned to do so (smiles).”
What do you wish for him?
“The best for his career. Let’s say… after tonight.”
What kind of match will Milan vs. Pisa be?
“It won’t be easy because Pisa will defend deep, and finding space won’t be easy. However, Milan has a chance to stay top of the table and perhaps even extend their lead over their direct rivals. I have faith in the Rossoneri, who are improving with Leao’s return from injury.”
If Rafa remains the one who decided the match against Fiorentina…
“He has the means to make a difference. Now it’s up to him to use them.”
Modric, on the other hand, has been a certainty since the first day he set foot at Milanello…
“He brought more experience and balance to the midfield, and he solved a major problem the team had. A champion like him makes the difference despite his age because he always wants the ball, inspires confidence in those around him, and sacrifices himself for his teammates by setting an example.”
Last Sunday, Brocchi said that Modric would also play for your Milan. Do you agree?
“He’s right. Modric has great quality, he keeps the ball at his feet like the older generation and never loses it. He has the through pass and the verticalization like the greats: he’s one of the few left around… With Pirlo, Seedorf, and Rui Costa, he would have been a spectacle.”
You were on tour in Asia and Australia with Milan this summer. Did you expect such a fast start?
“You could see that the group believed in the coach’s ideas since July. Many players were missing, having been bought after the tour or were on vacation, but the dressing room was united and the feeling was positive.”
Allegri, however, continues to put the brakes on the Scudetto talk…
“He’s right, because it’s too early to make any predictions. The season is still long: Juventus, while not at their best, is strong, Inter are coming back, and Napoli – who haven’t been flying lately – shouldn’t be underestimated.
“We’ll have a better understanding in a few months. The important thing is that Milan continues to get results without worrying too much about the future. In March, we’ll see what the standings will be, and who knows…”
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