Former AC Milan full-back Sergino Dest has opened up about his brief stint with the Rossoneri in a recent interview with The Athletic. Now playing for PSV, the American defender shared insights into his challenging time in Milan and the reasons behind his unsuccessful spell at the club.
Dest candidly admitted, “I liked it, but I wasn’t ready. It was a really important lesson. If I go somewhere else, I need to be mentally prepared.” He highlighted communication issues with then-manager Stefano Pioli, stating, “I couldn’t communicate with him. He only spoke Italian, so we had to have an interpreter. I didn’t play much, and being on loan, I wasn’t that motivated to learn Italian.”
The 23-year-old defender also revealed his mindset during his time at Milan: “I started thinking I wouldn’t stay there for that long. Mentally, I wasn’t ready. I was too focused on Barcelona and didn’t fully understand what a great club Milan was. I hadn’t left Barcelona in the right way and felt hurt.”
Reflecting on the missed opportunity, Dest continued, “Milan would have been a perfect club. It’s a shame how it happened. I was 21. I didn’t even understand why I wasn’t playing at that time. I thought they had loaned me to play.”
Despite the setbacks, Dest seems to have gained valuable insights from his experience. “I’ve felt everything at the highest level and know what to do to get back there,” he concluded, hinting at his ambitions to return to top-flight football.
