BERLIN – Andrea Brambilla, 29 years old, is one of the 32 thousand Italians who live in the German capital. Sales manager for a software company, he has been in Berlin since 2017. And for two years he has been president of AC Milan Club club, which has around a hundred members.
Will you Italians from Berlin watch the Azzurri matches together or divided by club fans?
“We at Milan Club Berlin are at Birra, run by an Italian, in the centre. The Inter Club have their meeting place in Kreuzberg. The Roma Club is at Come Va Va, typical Roman. And I see Lazio Club stickers around. The national team is fine, but we watch the matches apart.”
Is there a place that brings luck to Italian fans in the German capital?
“Not that I know of, but it could become one. However, the Italian newspaper Berlin Magazine organized a collective viewing on the roof of the Club Ost.”
Germany won Italia 90, the Italians won the German World Cup in 2006. Is it enough for a twinning with German fans?
“The rivalry prevails, it has deep roots. They like our land and our food. We are fine here, in terms of welfare and organisation. And lately there is more sun here than in Italy. But football is football.”
Bookmakers are betting on England, France and Germany. Do the Germans fear us after European Championship 2021?
“Absolutely yes. They expect the joke. They know we could meet in the round of 16, and they would gladly avoid it.”
Was it difficult to get stadium tickets for this European Championship?
“Very hard. There was a lottery mechanism, which started a year ago. Very few of my Italian friends will go to the stadium. Someone got a ticket, but having no friends to go with, he then resold it.”
Italy will play first in the group in Dortmund. Any tourist advice for our compatriots who will come to watch the matches from Italy?
“I saw Borussia Dortmund – Milan in the Champions League, on the bus from Berlin with the club guys. The city is not exciting, let’s say. But a visit to the football museum is worth it.”
As a Milan fan, what effect does Italy without the Rossoneri have on you?
“It hurts, a lot. We respect the coach’s choices and we are preparing to support Italy anyway, obviously, but as a fan I say that a couple of our players could have deserved to be called up. Calabria, also Gabbia. Some AC Milan fans are harsher than me in their judgment: too many Inter fans.”
How do you reverse course?
“By creating a hard core of Italians at Milanello, as Inter is doing. Is simple”.
In the absence of AC Milan fans, who is your favourite?
“Federico Chiesa, who I would have liked to join Milan after Fiorentina. Already at the last European Championship he exalted me, let’s hope it happens again.”
And Donnarumma, was he able to forgive him?
“Absolutely not, and mine is the sentiment of an entire fan base. He grew up in our youth teams. He had the armband on. Impossible to forget”.
Did you like Ibrahimovic’s press conference?
“It left me confused. Too corporate. You glossed over some questions, including the crucial one for me about the Italian nature of the squad”.
Do you trust Fonseca?
“I find it wrong to crucify him at the start. Once the choice has been made, he must be supported”.
The last match you saw at San Siro?
“Round of 16 of the Italian Cup against Cagliari in January. For the rest I went around: Newcastle, Rennes, Rome for the Europa League. Here I go to see Ertha Berlin, in a wonderful stadium, which always evokes good memories for us Italians.”
Who is the hero of the Italians in Germany, among the footballers?
“Luca Toni! Maybe more in Bavaria, but we love him. Very strong, friendly, genuine. He represents us well.”
