Milan-Genoa, the double ex Bertolacci: “In Turkey I am reborn”

Turkey is now home. He likes everything: “The food, the sweets, the people, the cheering, the daily life”. A little less traffic. “In Istanbul, when there is a mess, it takes you an hour to walk a kilometer. After all, I was born and raised in Rome, so I know what that means.” Andrea Bertolacci smiles, he’s great. He had never scored so much: “Eight goals between Fatih Karagümrük and Kayserispor. At most I had reached six in Genoa with Gasperini”. When his name was on the notebooks of half Serie A, fierce ds ready to snatch him from colleagues. Now he has fun in Turkey, he enjoys his family, he does not think about the past, but the index, before or after the games, always scrolls on the smartphone to look for the Serie A results. Friday is Milan-Genoa, a piece of life, 4 years at Ferraris and 3 at San Siro.

He smiles. “Let’s start immediately with the uncomfortable questions. Milan are strong, Genoa have to redeem the 4 goals they scored against Lazio. I can handle it like this …”.

In Turkey, however, she is doing great.

“Since January I have been playing in Kayseri, a mountain city in the center. Cappadocia is nearby, it is a bustle of people, the winter is cold. It has snowed a lot. I play, I have fun, sign. I am very well”.

What convinced you to choose the Super Lig?

“I wanted to try a new experience. I lived in Istanbul for a year and it was fantastic. There are two thousand types of sweets, the stadiums are always full and we always talk about football. The only drawback is pasta, but I don’t compromise there: I have it brought from Italy, or I eat rice “.

Hers is a rebirth after difficult years.

“I need trust, when it was given to me I gave it good”.

Especially in Genoa, three years at the top.

“A second home. When I arrived at Ferraris I was 21 years old. I had played a couple of seasons in Lecce after a life in Rome. I still remember the audition with the Giallorossi. I am from Tor De ‘Cenci, outside the ring, I played at Divino Amore, I was training under the age of 90 with the class of 90. At 10 I signed the first card “.

The coach who exalted you the most?

“Gasperini. A nice hammer. Thanks to him, and to what I did in Genoa, I also made my debut in the national team in 2014. The beauty is that I did it right at Ferraris, as a sign of destiny. He was one of the most important coaches never had. What a squadron: Perotti, Perin, Izzo, Pinilla … “.

In short, he owes everything to Genoa.

“He made me grow up, become a man. Every now and then I took some grooming from Gasp, but few save themselves from him. 2014-15 was a magical year, we arrived in Europe and beat the big names. A sixth place that is worth gold “.

“The goal in Bergamo against Atalanta and the one at the San Siro against Milan. We won 3-1 and I scored the first goal. We were playing great football.”

Maybe that’s where I convinced the Rossoneri.

“Maybe. In 2015 Atletico Madrid also wanted me, I still have the messages from sports director Andrea Berta and Cholo Simeone, but Galliani and Mihajlovic convinced me to choose Milan. Sinisa said to me ‘come on, come to us, we are strong ‘. Impossible to refuse such a club. “

Three difficult seasons though, what went wrong?

“Before then I had never had serious injuries, and instead I got hurt several times. I played 3-4 games and then I stopped.”

He also experienced the change of ownership.

“Fassone and sports director Mirabelli were always present, every day at Milanello, while Yonghong Li or other partners never saw them”.

2018-19 was the toughest year, only 4 games.

“Gattuso wanted me at all costs, I had other offers but in the end I preferred to stay. But I almost never played. I was expiring, I was not given the opportunity to prove my worth, but I have no hard feelings towards the Milan. I’m only sorry I didn’t show who I am. Now I hope he wins the Scudetto. ”

Milan are first, who convinces you the most?

“Leao, the difference. And then Ibra speaks for himself. Another top is Kessie, I played with him. Too bad he goes away on a free transfer”.

“Manolo Portanova. I played with his father, he has a good future”.

In short, no predictions.

He smiles. “Don’t ask me …”.