Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Ruben Amorim spoke in Bournemouth on Wednesday evening at Milan’s pre-match press conference before the Europa League game away against AFC Bournemouth on Thursday night. Loftus-Cheek addressed his responsibility in the squad, his life in Italy and his England prospects.
Responsibility in the squad
Asked whether he considers himself a senior player in the Milan camp, Loftus-Cheek joked: "Now I’m a player with a lot of experience – thank you for saying my age. But yeah, I feel the responsibility on the pitch and in the squad to bring that experience. I think these are the games where you need to bring that because it’s going to be very difficult when the atmosphere is hostile and it’s a big game, especially for us and for Bournemouth, their emotional attachment to the game. I do want to help the team in that way as much as possible."
Life in Italy
Asked about the differences since moving to Serie A three years ago, Loftus-Cheek said: "I think I’ve evolved as a player and as a human being as well. Firstly as a player, the league is different and you have to adapt to the league and adapt to a football that maybe you couldn’t play or is not as effective here in Italy as it is in England, but I’ve enjoyed it. I’ve enjoyed the experience and as a human being, going to a different country when many Englishmen haven’t done that in the past and learning a new language, different culture, different way of life, in that sense of growing as a human being."
England question
When asked by the British press if he was targeting a return to the England squad, Loftus-Cheek replied: "Honestly, it’s not at the forefront of my mind. I think Milan deserves all my concentration. Right now we’re in a period with so many games, we’re a big club and we have the pressure to win. In that sense, I’m always concentrating here and I think if you’re playing well then that’ll take care of itself and England opportunities will come. I think for me it’s just full concentration on AC Milan."
Amorim backs Loftus-Cheek
Amorim said: "First of all I want to address this question about Ruben. The problem is that he doesn’t believe that he can play for his national team and I heard that in his voice, but he has the talent to do that. He’s a really talented guy and maybe the problem is more here than it is in his body and his ability. So I really believe that if he takes that out of his head, he can play in every national team because he’s a very talented boy. But he needs to give that step, and he’s still young. People don’t understand that he can play for a while. I truly believe that he can be that type of player."