Italian Montolivo ready to upset mum
Source: Agencies |
June 28, 2012, Thursday
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FOR Italy midfielder Riccardo Montolivo, tonight's European Championship semifinal against Germany is a personal derby.
Montolivo's mother is German, his father is Italian and he wears the flag of both nations on his football boots.
"Those are the shoes I've worn ever since I started playing football, so I'm not changing them now.
"It's definitely a special match," Montolivo added. "I can't hide my origins. Part of me is German. I spent every summer in Germany until I was 15 and I'm still in touch with a lot of friends there. But I was born and raised in Italy, so I feel 99 percent Italian."
The German side of Montolivo's family comes from the northern state of Schleswig-Holstein, which borders Denmark. He grew up near Bergamo, in northern Italy. Montolivo speaks German fluently, and even acted as his own translator when a German journalist asked him a question during a press conference on Tuesday.
Asked what part of his personality is German, Montolivo said his "coldness, both on and off the pitch," adding with a smile, "apart from the penalty."
Montolivo was referring to the penalty he missed in the shootout win over England in the quarterfinals. After missing wide left, Montolivo buried his face in his shirt.
"When you miss you feel like the entire world is weighing you down," Montolivo said. "But when I returned to the middle of the pitch I was calm and confident. I was sure my error wouldn't have been decisive."
More attack-minded than any of the Italian midfielders, Montolivo also struggled to make an impact during open play against England, but he's relishing facing Germany.
"The other night there wasn't much space," he said. "But now we're facing a squad that likes to play more openly. We'll probably have more trouble in defense, but find more space in attack."
Having just concluded his seventh season at Fiorentina, the 27-year-old Montolivo signed a four-year deal with AC Milan last month - ending speculation he might join a German club.
Montolivo's mother is German, his father is Italian and he wears the flag of both nations on his football boots.
"Those are the shoes I've worn ever since I started playing football, so I'm not changing them now.
"It's definitely a special match," Montolivo added. "I can't hide my origins. Part of me is German. I spent every summer in Germany until I was 15 and I'm still in touch with a lot of friends there. But I was born and raised in Italy, so I feel 99 percent Italian."
The German side of Montolivo's family comes from the northern state of Schleswig-Holstein, which borders Denmark. He grew up near Bergamo, in northern Italy. Montolivo speaks German fluently, and even acted as his own translator when a German journalist asked him a question during a press conference on Tuesday.
Asked what part of his personality is German, Montolivo said his "coldness, both on and off the pitch," adding with a smile, "apart from the penalty."
Montolivo was referring to the penalty he missed in the shootout win over England in the quarterfinals. After missing wide left, Montolivo buried his face in his shirt.
"When you miss you feel like the entire world is weighing you down," Montolivo said. "But when I returned to the middle of the pitch I was calm and confident. I was sure my error wouldn't have been decisive."
More attack-minded than any of the Italian midfielders, Montolivo also struggled to make an impact during open play against England, but he's relishing facing Germany.
"The other night there wasn't much space," he said. "But now we're facing a squad that likes to play more openly. We'll probably have more trouble in defense, but find more space in attack."
Having just concluded his seventh season at Fiorentina, the 27-year-old Montolivo signed a four-year deal with AC Milan last month - ending speculation he might join a German club.
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