Milan midfielder Sandro Tonali revealed that Gigi Donnarumma texted him after their title win at the weekend: ‘He is happy for us.’ The Rossoneri won their first Scudetto in 11 years on Sunday and bough Milan to a standstill with the celebrations.
Speaking to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Tonali looked back at the season and explained how he has changed since first joining the club:
I’ve felt different since the beginning of the season, I had a different understanding with my teammates and less fear to take risks, I was freer.
Maldini called me to say: ‘No worries, now you are a Milan player for the second time.’ Thanks to my agents for doing everything they could to fulfil my desire and I want to thank Massimo Cellino as well because he kept his word. He said he wanted me to be happy and my happiness is here.
When you win, everything changes. Possibly, the bond with the shirt is even stronger. The scenes in Reggio Emilia were incredible, but I realised what we had done when we arrived at Casa Milan. I saw the emotion in people’s eyes, incredible.
I told myself: ‘I won’t take the mobile to take pictures, I want to live this moment and keep it with me forever.
On paper, there were teams stronger than us, such as Inter for example, but nobody had more desire than us. We put in passion, emotions, and values. Like this, you go everywhere and we proved it.
Zlatan? Ibra gives a sense of security. Seeing him watch the game from the bench is worth more than a thousand gestures.
He is a champion and he put the team ahead of him. He has raised the level and I hope he continues. He is decisive, on and off the pitch.
Donnarumma? He wrote to me, I hope he is happy with our success, the same way we are happy with his victory.
He went to Paris and won straight away. He knew that there was a path to take here, but we made it, step by step.
The most decisive Milan player this season? Rafael Leao. He let us win when we were struggling. He was concrete and he gave us points. Against Verona, he put me in the best conditions to score twice. I was just in the right place at the right time, the rest is his merit.”
