Ruben Loftus-Cheek featured in this week’s edition of SportWeek, which is published by Gazzetta dello Sport, and he shared his thoughts on the first months at Milan. He feels free, as he described it.
The midfielder arrived for around €16m plus bonuses in the summer and has since been an important player for the Rossoneri. He missed the last two games due to an injury, but has made eight appearances so far (one goal and two assists).
Speaking to SportWeek (via SempreMilan), which is a weekly newspaper, Loftus-Cheek shared his thoughts on the first few months at Milan. He shared his thoughts on the difference with Chelsea, why he feels free now and several other things.
Let’s start with a summer interview with The Times. The title is for you: “At Chelsea, I felt like a caged animal.” What happened?
“I didn’t play as much as I would have liked and I went on the pitch in positions where I couldn’t express myself. The last season was very difficult.
And at Milan?
“At Milan, I have a free mind and I play the position as I like: it’s like being a child again when we played football without worries. This is the mental state in which I want to go on the pitch: on the pitch you want to have fun, enjoy your game, and also have the pleasure of working hard. If you are free, you play your best football. And if the whole team has this feeling, great things can be achieved.”
Is Milan the strongest team in Italy?
“Yes, we feel we are the best but for these things… we will see at the end.”
Let’s go back to freedom. What was the happiest moment in your life, apart from football?
“I couldn’t choose a moment, more than anything else sometimes I feel a general sense of happiness for what I have, for the friends in my life. I’m lucky because money is not a problem and this gives you freedom. I am grateful for all this.”
It wasn’t always like this, was it?
“No, the first holiday I was able to take abroad with my family was when I was 16: Ibiza. Mostly I stayed in the street with friends after school, we played football, we went cycling.”
And now, what gives Ruben Loftus-Cheek emotions?
“I like stories that inspire, the biographies of the underdogs who achieve against all odds.”
We all have a book that has changed our lives. Which is yours?
“The Untethered Soul, by Michael Singer.”
In Italian, the online description says: “What would it be like to free yourself from limits? What can you do to discover inner peace and serenity? This book offers simple but profound answers to these questions”. Really?
“Yes, I like books that give me freedom and inner peace. If you are in that state, what happens outside doesn’t affect you. I think that in life it is important to be stable and have peace.”
And, with this peace, what are the big goals in life?
“In football, I want to win the Scudetto with Milan. Off the field, I haven’t thought about much. I want to enjoy the present.”
So let’s talk about Milan. The worst question straight away. What happened in the derby?
“Sometimes in football, you have a bad day and you can’t explain it, but we were good at putting everything behind us.”
Who are the leaders in these situations, who speaks for everyone?
“Everyone, because no one is afraid to let others know what they feel or encourage others. Mike (Maignan), however, is the one who you can hear more, on the pitch and in the locker room: he talks, encourages, and drags us along.”
Speaking of positive things, how many goals this season? Ten?
“I can even score more than ten. I scored ten with Sarri at Chelsea, but that time I only became a starter at the end of the season. I can go further.”
If there was a great relationship with Sarri, who was the most disappointing manager at Chelsea?
“But no, life is like that, you can’t think about the past. Go ahead, let it go, stay in the present: I think like this. You can tell I read those books, right?” You can see it, you can see it.”
Answers without thinking: a very strong but underrated player faced in Italy?
“I believe that Bologna were one of the toughest opponents. I say Zirkzee, their 9: he’s good.”
Milan now. Who is the craziest in the group?
“Florenzi.”
Who fights the most?
“Malick Thiaw.”
The most beautiful?
I would say Rafa. Leao is always fashionable.”
And who dresses best?
“Yacine Adli. He has that casual look, like a gentleman.
The best concert ever seen?
“Coldplay, I had just arrived in Milan. San Siro was beautiful.”
So, what is Milan like for a Londoner? What effect does it have?
“For us life is always Milanello-game-away-home to rest, but I have been to the Duomo and I like the city a lot.
And then, one last confession. Does Ruben Loftus-Cheek have a weakness, something he couldn’t give up?
“Well, I just saw the David Beckham documentary on Netflix. At a certain point, in a speech with Gary Neville, he says that football is like a drug for the adrenaline that comes from people. This is why it is difficult to retire. Well, if I have an addiction, it’s the adrenaline of scoring, the adrenaline of winning.”
Loftus-Cheek is not expected to feature for Milan against Juventus tomorrow evening and might not even make the bench. Against PSG on Wednesday, however, the Englishman should be back in action.
