Samuele Ricci, Milan midfielder, spoke in an interview with ‘Cronache di spogliatoio’. Here are his words:
On joining AC Milan:
“At Milan I’m feeling really great. From the very first moment I was warmly welcomed by everyone, and that struck me a lot. Both by my teammates and by the people working behind the scenes: real friendships are being formed.”
On coach Massimiliano Allegri:
“With Allegri there was an instant connection. He really enjoys joking around off the pitch and always manages to make us smile, but on the field he’s extremely focused on work and details. His greatest quality is that he knows how to win, and he’s passing that mentality on to us. The fact that he’s from Livorno and I’m from Pisa gives us the same sense of humor. His assistant is from Lucca, so it’s a Tuscan trio that’s pretty funny. A good relationship is developing with all the lads.”
On his first month at AC Milan:
“What impressed me most in this first month at Milan is the intensity in training. There’s a really healthy internal competition that pushes everyone to raise their level. We also saw it in the friendlies, where I scored – which is nice – but more importantly we got minutes in our legs. And honestly, coming on at San Siro against Bari as a Milan player and not as an opponent was very emotional.”
On Luka Modric:
“I’ve spoken with Modrić about lots of things, even off the pitch. I asked him about Spain and he asked me about Italy. But mostly we talked about houses (laughs) because we’re both looking for one! He’s very humble and already an important figure in the dressing room. Many of us, I notice, already rely on him. Honestly, I never imagined I’d be sharing a locker room with him! He does certain things with such natural ease, it’s incredible to watch.”
On launching a clothing company with his friends, Ricci said:
“It all started because one of our friends wanted to create something of his own. He had a dream about it and told us. We said: ‘Let’s give it a try.’ And we all got together on it. A few months ago Buongiorno joined too. It’s a clothing brand that makes everything: t-shirts, caps, swimwear… we talk every day on WhatsApp, and soon something cool will be released.”
On his passion for the guitar and piano:
“My passion for instruments started during Covid. I was at some friends’ house in Pisa, we were supposed to go out but it started raining. So we stayed in a room where there were guitars and pianos. I tried them and I was hooked: I asked for the guitar teacher’s number and started learning. Now I’ve let it slip a bit, but if you give me chords, in a few minutes I can play the song. At Torino I sometimes played even in training camp, I did duets with the club doctor who plays really well, while the others sang. Now I’d like to go back to piano lessons, which are a bit harder to approach: after a couple of months you can already play guitar, the piano takes longer.”
About, Empoli, his ex club, he commented:
“They’re among the best at launching young players and giving them minutes, they’re not afraid of it. I was lucky to join the first team when they were in Serie B, where you get more chances. We even won the league and I reached Serie A. I spent a few years before leaving that comfort zone. In the youth sector I was decent, but not some big phenomenon… step by step, with work and focus, without distractions, I made it. I had a steady path, and I was given the chance to prove myself. That was my good fortune.”
On his Serie A debut:
“The jump from the Primavera was a shock. Not even training with the first team compares. At first I struggled; I still saw football more as a game than as a job. That switch happened when I arrived at Torino: before, I lived it as a kid. With Torino’s call I thought, ‘Now it’s serious.’ I started looking after myself more, going to the gym, working on my weaknesses. That change was also thanks to Jurić. Leaving the comfort zone helped: the sooner you do it, the better. I did it at the right time, but I told myself: ‘Now I either change, or I’ll never play.’ And from then on I carved out my space.”
On his ex coach at Torino, Ivan Juric:
“He was very different from the coaches I’d had before. Coming from Andreazzoli at Empoli, where I played as a holding midfielder in a three, with Jurić I had to immediately adapt and become more of a box-to-box midfielder, because in a midfield two you basically have to do everything. I had to grow physically as well, in my build, working a lot on that and especially on defensive mentality. Staying focused on your direct opponent, playing man-to-man. He really improved me in that area.”
On his style of play:
“I really like having the ball at my feet, and going to find it when it’s not coming much. In Serie A it’s complicated because of all the tactics, with teams sitting deep: it’s hard to find space. Actually, in Serie B it’s even harder in some ways, it’s a peculiar league. As we’ve seen, it’s less about big names and more about team compactness. In B it’s tough to play with the ball, you get pressed a lot, especially away, where teams close up and the games are messy, ugly. That’s part of Italian football, and foreigners struggle with it. I spoke with guys coming from the Premier League, and they told me the same. Adams at Torino confirmed it. For strikers it’s even tougher, because Italian defenses are really solid, and the way of defending is especially tough.”
On the national team:
“I’ll be honest: every time I get called up I get goosebumps. A bit of anxiety, too. At the club you’re in your routine. With the national team, especially the first times, you don’t know what to expect and you don’t have much time to prepare matches, so you have to adapt quickly. There’s no time to overthink. It was amazing when I played against France, seeing Griezmann and Mbappé, I thought: ‘What am I doing here!?’ These are experiences you carry forever. Even if you play Serie A, with the national team you feel a different thrill, like you’re playing something bigger, facing the best.”
Ricci added:
“I haven’t worked with Gattuso yet. Spalletti often told me I was good with body posture. Many coaches talk about it, but some don’t notice it. He immediately told me: when I go to receive the ball I must stand at an angle, between two forwards, check over my shoulder ten times, four isn’t enough, be alert to details, to how I position my body when receiving, because that makes all the difference. He worked on that a lot with midfielders. Vanoli also paid attention to details, showing me videos of my positioning compared to other players, how a single meter can change everything. On video it’s easy to see, but in a match with the pace and rhythm, it’s harder to feel it.”
Regarding young players, he said:
“The perception of young players is changing. I watched some Serie B this year, and many youngsters are playing. Before, it wasn’t like this. I was lucky to grow up at Empoli, where even if you made mistakes, you still played because they believed in you. In Italy there was a stagnant phase for young players, but now the tide is turning. Opportunities are better, but so much depends on where you end up: maybe in pre-season you do well, maybe you’re loaned to a struggling team and you end up in the wrong place… You also need to be in the right spot at the right time. Many have great talent but maybe have a coach who doesn’t see them in a certain role, and they gradually fade away.”
On his admiration to Africa, where he spends his vacations:
“This year I went to Uganda, about two weeks. It’s my fifth time in Africa. First I went to Namibia, then Kenya, then Madagascar, and now Uganda. Each time I try to pick very different destinations, to complete my ‘circle’ of African experiences. I go with my family. I like to carve out time with them. They’re at all my games during the season, but the trip is different: you’re together calmly, without rush. It’s a true, deep moment with them, away from routine. Every trip was special, each in its own way. But a lot depends on how you travel. For example, in Kenya, if you stay shut inside a resort, you miss the point. Africa must be experienced by moving around, exploring. They’re intense trips, sometimes tiring – long hours in cars, rough roads – but they really open your mind. You face a completely different reality and learn to see life from another perspective. When you come back, you fall into routine again, but you understand their normal is different. They live with much less, maybe with fewer distractions. We’re surrounded by endless stimuli. There, you reconnect with reality, with the essentials.”
On playing barefoot in Africa:
“There are many moments. In Namibia, one of the freest trips, we rented a jeep and traveled alone. Once we stopped at an Englishman’s place, he’d opened a kind of café – maybe the only ‘bar’ for miles. He told us his story, how he ended up there. He brewed coffee in a special way. One of those moments when you realize everyone has an incredible journey. In Madagascar I played football with kids in a village. It was beautiful. There you don’t even need a proper ball – anything round is enough – and they start playing. I saw myself in them: as a kid, as soon as I had a ball, I played anywhere. It’s a passion that unites, that breaks all barriers.”
Ricci continued:
“Wild experiences in Africa? Many. In Madagascar, for example, we slept two nights in a tent on a boat. Each evening we docked, set up the tent, and slept. We met locals, had very authentic moments. I always try to avoid overly ‘packaged’ experiences. I like living places in a raw, real way. Sometimes there’s a bit of fear, especially at night in a tent hearing animals. Normal for them, less so for us. But we always had a ranger on safari, so we were safe. I remember one night safari in particular: we came face to face with a huge giraffe. It was dark, only visible in the red headlights. An incredible sight. Namibia impressed me the most for landscapes. Unique. Basically a desert that runs into the sea, the Atlantic. Of course you can’t swim, it’s freezing and rough, but you see dunes going right into the beach. Surreal. We did jeep excursions on the dunes: unforgettable. I also visited villages. They often see tourists, so it’s not always easy to find truly authentic places, but when you do, you realize how little it takes to live. Poverty there has a different meaning. There’s poverty, but also a lot of dignity.”
He continued:
“In Madagascar everything was zero-kilometer. No import-export, they eat only what they grow. Lots of rice, meat, vegetables. Really good, very flavorful, different tastes from ours, more intense. We rely on a family friend with an agency who also opened schools in Africa. He helps us organize everything, and we try to contribute too. I’d like to travel everywhere. Asia inspires me a lot, but I haven’t been yet. You need more time – the trip alone takes days – and then you must come back and be ready right away. But it’s definitely on my list. Maybe when I stop playing, I’ll be able to experience it more calmly.”
On the off-season, Ricci had this to say:
“I have a trainer who follows me remotely. When I can, I run at dawn. In Kenya, for example, I went for runs in breathtaking landscapes. But often you don’t have proper equipment – no gym, no weights – so you can’t do everything. That’s why I try not to stay away too long: you have to return ready for pre-season. It’s crucial, even if it keeps getting shorter. The off-season is when you can work on things you can’t during the year: really focus on maximum strength, do heavy loads. During the season you work on sharpness, maintenance, prevention. But off-season is where you build your foundation, which pays off later. Every year you learn something new. In the end, you try to balance everything, find what works for you. Of course, I always rely on trainers: you can’t just invent workouts. But with experience I know what to do, when to do it, how to manage myself.”
What about Ricci’s origins?
“I don’t get back to Pisa much, unless I have at least three days off. But I’m always in touch, especially with my friends at the bar. I also have many older friends and family friends, so I always try to spend an hour with them. They’re all big football lovers and work in the local amateur clubs. We always have a good laugh. As a kid I often went to watch Pisa with my dad at the stadium, and I was thrilled about their promotion to Serie A.”
Who was Ricci’s first coach?
“Romano Marinari was my first coach, together with another guy called Marzio. Back then we played five-a-side, I was just a kid and didn’t understand much yet. But he was the first to truly believe in me. Throughout my career I’ve always stayed in touch with him, always kept him in mind. He played an important role in my path. Lately no, because I never have much time – I’m back home only for a couple of days at most – but my family still sees him often.”
What’s next for Ricci?
“I have to improve in many areas. Technically, of course, but also in terms of presence on the pitch. Not so much grit, but being more ‘inside’ the match. Sometimes I like dropping deep to collect the ball, but then maybe I lose something defensively, in the tougher side of the game. Compared to before, though, thanks to recent work, I’ve improved a lot, especially physically. In the early years I worked a lot on strength, and I keep progressing every season. There’s always room to grow: physically, mentally, but also in things off the field like preparation and approach. Tactically it’s harder if you don’t have a natural instinct, but I still try to grow there. As for athletic work, you can train that outside the pitch too, and that’s where you can make a difference.”
On his role models:
“I really like Rodri, even if he plays a bit differently. In Italy I really like Lobotka, I think he’s excellent in both phases and balances them well. There are many midfielders I admire, even mezzali who don’t play my role but you can learn from them. I remember Sergej Milinković-Savić… it was Empoli–Lazio, my debut match, we lost 3–1. He impressed me so much, and I thought right away: ‘If they’re all like this…’. It was a strong impact!”
On Torino’s goalkeeper, Vanja Milinkovic-Savic:
“We’ve kept in touch, he really grew last season at Torino. And between me and Vanja, who was better at set pieces? Definitely him! Every second of training, if you turned around, you’d see him blasting shots. He’s a goalkeeper on loan… he says he needs to let off steam, so he fires free kicks that, if anyone else tried, they’d risk getting hurt! But he’s a really good guy.”
