Alvaro Morata returns to the Santiago Bernabeu to face Real Madrid in the Champions League. The striker looks back on his arrival, the difficult last few months on a mental level and the emergence of Spanish talent with Lamine Yamal as the main star of the new generation.
There is always excitement in a reunion. In football, even more so. Morata and his side Milan will have their face to face against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu for the duel that brings them together in the League Phase of the Champions League. In the run-up, the Spanish striker spoke to ‘The Athletic’ and discussed many topical issues. His experience in many top flight clubs makes him a reference in this type of duels. Now he is fighting for the interests of the ‘Rossoneri’ club. Two teams with that special relationship are facing each other in the European competition. “Totally,” Morata responds when the interviewer explains the link between the two clubs.
He knows that Milan are underdogs, but he is an experienced footballer: “In football you never know. Last year, Borussia Dortmund were not doing well in the league or in general. They reached the Champions League final and who knows if they would be champions now if Fullkrug’s shot had gone in. That’s the beauty of the Champions League. Every year, there are teams that are there that nobody expects.” With his great memories of Kaka, the player who comes to mind from his early memories at Milan, he hopes to be up to the task: “We are Milan and we have to aspire to win everything. We are obliged to think we can do it”.
“The reunion at the Bernabeu? I think it will be the same in the end. I don’t think much has changed. I’m aware of that and I expect to get whistled at and all that. It’s normal, part of the game,” acknowledges the striker, who knows that the Madrid stadium does not keep very good memories of his past, especially at Atletico Madrid. “The pressure is normal. It’s normal to have it playing at San Siro, the Champions League and every time you put on a shirt like this. Every game is a responsibility, although it’s more of a privilege. Many players would give anything to play for these teams and I have been that lucky,” he added.
Luis de la Fuente has been a fierce defender of the captain Alvaro Morata, in addition to his facet as a striker. That human aspect that he never forgets: “For me, success in life is not winning a European Championship, a World Cup, the Champions League or scoring 600 goals. It’s about being known by everyone you spend your days with, everyone you work with. You will never find a teammate, friend or person with whom I have been honest who does not say that I am a good person. That’s the most important thing to me. I try to help everyone and I like to make others feel good. People will realise that’s why I became captain and why I made others do their best. When you don’t care about yourself, but about those around you…it’s a beautiful thing.”
Finally, he mentioned Lamine Yamal, with whom he was amazed from the first day: “He has a very determined character, and that is difficult to find in someone at his age. He has a very clear idea of what he wants to do, personality and a lot to look forward to. Honestly, I’ve never seen anything like him. I haven’t seen a player like that. One training session was enough to realise that he is different, a phenomenon. Every 20 or 30 years, one or two like Cristiano or Messi emerge. For me, he has everything it takes. I am convinced that he will be the best player in the history of Spain. He already made history by winning the European Championship, he was 16 years old when it started”.
