Pessina reveals: Galliani brought him to Milan in 24 hours
Pessina: «Galliani took me to Milan in 24 hours, I had to go to Inter»
The Rossoneri midfielder reveals in an exclusive interview how Adriano Galliani turned his footballing fortunes around in the summer of 2019, snatching him from Inter in a flash and changing the course of his career.
Matteo Pessina has just revealed a sensational backstory: in the summer of 2019, he should have signed for Inter, but in just 24 hours Adriano Galliani took him to Milanello, turning his footballing destiny upside down. The midfielder, now a Rossoneri player, told the details of the operation in an exclusive interview with *Cronache di Spogliatoio*. Pessina remembers Galliani's blitz as a decisive moment: «They took me to Milanello within a day.
" The move, which took place on a free transfer from Monza, arrived in an already hot summer market, with Milan looking for young talents to exploit. The speed of the operation was not accidental: Galliani had already monitored Pessina during the previous season, when the midfielder had led Monza with 12 goals in 37 appearances in Serie B, attracting the attention of Serie A clubs. Galliani's role was decisive.
«Galliani knew what he was doing. " The midfielder, born in 1997, had just returned from a high-level season with Monza in Serie B, where he had made 37 appearances and 12 goals, attracting the attention of multiple clubs. His success at Monza had already convinced several observers, but it was Galliani's determination that made the difference, transforming an interest into a lightning operation.
«Without that passage, perhaps I wouldn't be here today. " His success with the Rossoneri came early: already in the 2020-21 season, Pessina made his debut in Serie A and contributed to the qualification for the Europa League. His impact was immediate, so much so that in the following season he became a regular starter, proving to be a key element in Milan's technical project.
Pessina's testimony sheds new light on one of the most discussed transfer operations in recent Italian football. An operation that not only changed his career, but also contributed to redesigning the future of Milan, with a new generation of talents grown at Milanello. Pessina's move has become a symbol of the Rossoneri strategy: investing in promising young players, often underestimated, and transforming them into international level players.
This approach has allowed Milan to rebuild their squad without spending crazy amounts, focusing on talent and potential. In a football increasingly dominated by millionaire budgets, the Pessina-Galliani operation represents a case study. He showed that long-term vision and faith in youth can pay off, especially in a market like the Italian one, where clubs often rely on quick and expensive solutions.
With this move, Milan has begun to look to the future again, building a competitive team without emptying its coffers. What will happen now? With Pessina now firmly among the protagonists of the Rossoneri squad, attention shifts to his role next season.
Milan, fresh from a fluctuating year, is banking on players like him to consolidate its identity and aspire to more ambitious goals. His experience and his ability to adapt to different roles in midfield make him an irreplaceable element, especially in view of a possible return to the Champions League. Galliani's speed in 2019 also left a mark on the club's culture.
Today, Milan continues to focus on young talents, often following the same pattern: identify a player with potential, move quickly and offer him a clear project. Pessina has become the perfect example of this philosophy, and his case could inspire other similar operations in the future. The Italian transfer market, known for its volatility, has seen few cases where a club has managed to snatch a player from another city giant so quickly.
The Pessina operation was possible thanks to a combination of factors: Monza's trust in Galliani, Milan's reputation as a hotbed of talent and the general director's ability to act without delay. In a 2019 summer already full of twists and turns, this step stood out for its immediacy and long-term consequences, both for the player and the club. The Pessina case also highlighted a generation gap between Italian clubs.
While Inter, in that period, was focusing on consolidated names and transfer operations with a high economic impact, Milan chose a different path. Galliani has shown that patience and trust in young people can lead to tangible results, without necessarily having to shell out millions. This strategy has allowed Milan to build a balanced squad, with players like Pessina, Leão and Calabria, who today represent the nucleus of a competitive team in Europe. Read at MilanNews24
Why this matters
This story is not just the story of a transfer market, but a fundamental piece to understand the rebirth of Milan in recent years. Pessina represents one of the pillars of that generation of talents who grew up in Milanello, who restored prestige to a historic club. His arrival, made possible by Galliani's intuition, marked a turning point: from that moment, the club began investing in young players again, building a competitive and ambitious squad. Without that operation, perhaps we would not have seen Pessina become a symbol of the new Milan. But there is more: Galliani's move demonstrated that modern football is not won only with money, but with vision. A message that goes beyond the confines of Milan and which could inspire other clubs to follow the same path. The Rossoneri strategy, based on young talents and long-term projects, has already borne fruit and continues to be a model to be studied in Italian football.
Frequently asked
Why should Pessina have signed for Inter?
According to what Pessina said, negotiations with Inter had already advanced before Galliani's blitz. Monza, his team at the time, had received concrete offers from the Nerazzurri, but the move only materialized after Galliani's intervention.
How long did Pessina's move from Monza to Milan last?
Pessina declared that everything was resolved in just 24 hours: from the call from Galliani to the arrival at Milanello, up to the final signing. A lightning-fast operation that surprised many professionals.
What was Pessina's role at Monza before moving to Milan?
In the 2018-19 season, Pessina was an attacking midfielder or midfielder for Monza, then in Serie B. He made 37 appearances and 12 goals, attracting the attention of several clubs, including Milan and Inter.
What impact did Pessina have at Milan after his arrival?
Pessina made his Serie A debut in the 2020-21 season and quickly found space, becoming a cornerstone of the Rossoneri squad. He contributed to the qualification for the Europa League and proved to be a key player for the technical project.
Who was Adriano Galliani at the time of Pessina's passage?
Adriano Galliani was the general director of Milan in the summer of 2019. After years at the helm of the club, he was coming out of a transition period and was working to rebuild the team with a mix of youth and experienced players.
Are there other similar background stories in Milan's recent history?
Yes, Milan in recent years has seen several rapid and decisive transfers in the transfer market, often linked to managerial intuitions. However, Pessina's remains one of the most striking due to the speed with which it materialized and the impact it had on the player's career.
