The
PSV midfielder discussed how the Argentine would fare in Italy with his
team-mates during his time at San Siro, and concluded he would not be well
suited to the division
PSV midfielder Mark van Bommel has revealed that he and his former AC Milan colleagues
believed Lionel Messi would struggle in Serie A.
The forward failed to shine in Barcelona’s 2-0 defeat to AC
Milan on Wednesday night, with the Rossoneri taking all the plaudits for silencing
the infamously deadly Blaugrana attack.
Van Bommel, who spent the 2011-12 season at San Siro, has
claimed that he and his colleagues at Milan were of the opinion that Messi
would struggle to score more than 30 goals in a campaign if he played in Italy.
"Three quarters [of the changing room] thought he would
score definitely less [than 30 goals a season in Serie A]," Van Bommel
told Algemeen Dagblad.
"And that's me included, yes. Serie A is just a very
different approach to football. You can still neutralise sides like in no other
league.
"It was only last year that Messi scored his first goal
against an Italian club. This is no coincidence."
Van Bommel also added that he enjoyed his year at Milan more
than his season with Barca, though he puts that down to footballing
expectations.
"At Barcelona I had a great year, but the affection at
Milan was huge," the former Netherlands international added.
"Perhaps it was also about how I arrived at the club. I was
brought in as a big name. But at Milan, I was able to apply myself, I think, in
terms of football but also as a human being, and I had a great time.”
0 comments:
Post a Comment