APPIANO GENTILE – Antonio Cassano was in the mood for talking. The ‘new Antonio’, as he defined himself when presented to the media at the Centro Sportivo Angelo Moratti today. Wearing a smile, overflowing with emotions and pointed. Without trying to hide the truth. With no fear.
Cassano is a happy man now and you can tell: “The most important thing for me was that Marco [Branca] and Piero [Ausliio] agreed with the coach about signing me. I want to thank president Moratti, who is in charge of it all and who welcomed me affectionately the other day, but also Marco and Piero, because when things aren’t going so well everyone is quick to point it out, but when things are going well ? given the excellent transfer business that has been done ? nobody talks about it, because they’re no good at licking you know what… I can tell you that I’m happy and it’s very important for me that they’ve bought me, it’s important that they’ve placed their trust in the ‘new Antonio’.
Lots of questions from curious journalists, with the forward reminded of what he said the day he was unveiled as an AC Milan player (“There’s nothing above Milan but the sky. If I mess up here I want locking away.”). Cassano retorted: “I said ‘if I mess up’, but I wasn’t the one who messed up. Somebody else who is above the coach messed up. He made promise after promise but it was all smoke and no fire, and that’s why I had to leave. Do I mean Galliani? Those are your words… I would like to thank everyone at Milan and the fans. When I had my heart problem they gave me lots of support, my team-mates too. I’m not going to thank him, all smoke and no fire. I thank Silvio Berlusconi, who offered me all his support. I thank Barbara Berlusconi, who was really nice to me. Tavano, who saved my life, and Tassotti. Not others. And that’s not ingratitude. And another thing: I said there’s nothing above Milan but sky? After the sky – above the sky – there’s Inter.”
More from Cassano’s press conference to follow