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Montolivo: 'I will always be grateful to Mihajlovic'
“Last Sunday against Genoa I have played my third Serie A match straight this season after a long down time period. I suffered a bit physically, but that’s what you got to pass through when recovering from injuries”, Montolivo told the Corriere dello Sport.
Together with a regular comeback in the AC Milan starting eleven, the 30 year old midfielder is also featuring well with the Rossoneri shirt. “Last summer has not been easy at all. Media were really skeptical about me and [after these first matches] I can say to be happy about my shape”.
Sinisa Mihajlovic has played a vital role in the career of former Italy International, since when the Serbian was in charge at Fiorentina.
“When I was playing in Florence he helped me a lot. I didn’t want to renew my contract and the club’s will was to exclude me from the team. By the way [Sinisa] Mihajlovic believed in me. He stand opposite Fiorentina’s desire and made me play anyway. I don’t know what it could have been with a manager with less personality then him”.
Again, it is Mihajlovic who firstly tried Montolivo in his current position, which is not only the typical holding midfielder, but a proper regista, playing in front of his defensive line. The manager’s bid worked well at the Artemio Franchi in 2010, as it is working today at AC Milan.
“I will always be grateful to him”, admits Montolivo.
Despite former Fiorentina recent shape, AC Milan form is still irregular as the Rossoneri side are filling an inadequate 11th place in Serie A. After three victories and just as many defeats, next Sunday they will host AS Napoli in a San Siro showdown, probably the strongest side at the moment together with Fiorentina.
“We can’t make any more false steps and we have to react [to our last defeat away to Genoa]. We have no more excuses as the club have brought in many important players last summer. The next match will definitely say a lot about what we have to expect from this season. In common with Napoli we have tremendous offensive players, while the defensive part is a bit more suffering. I guess that on Sunday night the most balanced team will prevail."
