Monza goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio is expecting tomorrow evening’s Serie A match against his old team Inter at the San Siro to have an atmosphere and significance that is special.
Speaking to Italian broadcaster DAZN ahead of the match, via FCInterNews, the 25-year-old gave his thoughts on what playing back at the San Siro will mean to him, and also named Nerazzurri captain Samir Handanovic as his idol.
Despite the fact that he came through Inter’s youth ranks, it has been with a different club that Di Gregorio has taken his first steps in Serie A.
After having spent two seasons on loan with Monza in Serie B, helping them to promotion last campaign, the Brianzoli made his loan deal a permanent one ahead of their first ever season in the top flight.
Di Gregorio has not played any less prominent of a role for the Lombards in Serie A than he had in Serie B, even after the arrival of the highly-rated Alessio Cragno on loan from Cagliari last summer.
The 25-year-old has been a key man for Raffaele Palladino’s team this season, and he is set to start against his former side Inter for the second time tomorrow evening, but the first at San Siro.
“San Siro is the most beautiful stadium I’ve played in,” Di Gregorio admitted.
“I experienced it as a fan when I was young.”
“I played there against Milan, but with Inter it’ll have a different flavor and it will certainly be more special.”
And regarding who his biggest role model is, Di Gregorio said that “I was lucky enough to have the chance to train with Handanovic, for me he’s sacred.”
“In our first meeting with [Inter] I swapped shirts with him,” he said of the Slovenian.
“I really wanted to do so, even though I’m not normally someone who swaps shirts that often,” he added.
“I saw how much dedication and how much passion he shows for his job,” Di Gregorio said of the Inter captain, “that’s what made me understand that talent alone isn’t enough, I always saw him arrive to training before everyone else then be the last to leave.”
