Former Swiss midfielder Johann Vogel, now coaching in the fourth tier, shared his thoughts on his time at AC Milan and the upcoming Young Boys vs Inter Milan match. Speaking from Switzerland to La Gazzetta dello Sport the 47-year-old reflected on his brief stint with the Rossoneri and offered insights on the current state of Italian football.
Vogel’s connection to Italy runs deep, with an Italian grandfather and a mother who taught him the language. When asked about his memories of Milan, he surprisingly answered, “Toblerone.” He explained, “It was my gift to the locker room. After a couple of weeks, I brought one of those chocolate bars for everyone. From that day on, I became the best friend of many, especially Vieri. He was too funny.”
Recalling his first day at Milanello, Vogel said, “It was just me and the gardeners. I had my medical in secret while the team was in Istanbul. A few days later, Berlusconi shook my hand. He had just gotten off the helicopter.”
Vogel praised Filippo Inzaghi as the most entertaining teammate: “Every practice match with him was stressful: he wanted to score and win. And he had a thousand superstitions. But he was an exceptional striker.”
On why he played so little at Milan, Vogel reflected, “There were great champions, but I was just Johann Vogel. For Ancelotti and Galliani, the story was this: Pirlo played in the big matches, I played against Treviso, Palermo, Cagliari, and teams like that. But in reality, I had played for PSV Eindhoven with Park Ji-Sung and Van Bommel…”
Regarding the current Milan team, Vogel admitted, “To be honest, no. I don’t recognize it anymore. I had the fortune to play in an unrepeatable team where you had the possibility to choose anything, from furniture for the house to Dolce & Gabbana clothes. Every aspect, even the smallest, was designed to win. Today’s Milan is something else, and it is on the field too. Leao, Theo, Morata… they are excellent players, but incomparable to Maldini and the others. That’s why I prefer to watch Inter.”
On Inter’s current squad, Vogel praised goalkeeper Sommer: “Underrated. When listing the best goalkeepers in the world, he’s never mentioned, but he should be. He’s good between the posts and with his feet.” He also highlighted Barella as a standout midfielder: “Inter does well to keep him close, he could play anywhere.”
Regarding the upcoming Young Boys vs Inter match, Vogel predicted, “I expect an easy win for Inter. The Swiss team is decent, but I wouldn’t know how to list really strong individuals. The real danger, for me, is the synthetic field. In Italy, there’s no habit of playing on such a terrain. It can be an advantage.”
Reflecting on his brief time in Italy, Vogel concluded, “No regrets, really. I grew up watching Domenica Sportiva and the great Milan of Van Basten, Gullit, and Rijkaard. I never imagined I would wear the Rossoneri shirt. I can only thank Berlusconi and Galliani for giving me the chance to realize a dream.”
