Darmian: "I always try to ensure that I'm ready"

MILAN – A burst forward and a bit of spark, exactly what was required to break the deadlock. This is what Matteo Darmian provided as he latched onto the ball and drew a foul from Ospina, resulting in a penalty that proved to be the difference in tonight’s encounter at San Siro.

“We knew that it’d be a difficult match,” said Darmian to Sky Sport. “Every detail makes the difference against the best sides: when I saw the loose ball in the box, I went for it immediately with the aim of getting there before the goalkeeper. We won thanks to that penalty and are happy.

“I always try to put in the hard work and ensure that I’m ready when the Coach gives me the opportunity to take to the pitch. As soon as I arrived, I tried to show great dedication in my work, and I think the results are being seen. My experience in England helped me a lot, I was exposed to a different culture and grew as both a man and player. Playing at club like Manchester United comes with responsibility, and you know that you have to do something extra every time you put on shirts that are this important. I joined a great club in Inter and knew that there’d be competition for places, but I’ve done everything to get myself ready and make myself useful to the team.”