The ex-Schalker Malick Thiaw is also slowly making progress at AC Milan. At the U21s, he spoke about settling in – and praised heart club S04.
As the German U21s bid farewell to the 2022 international season with a victory and plenty of fresh self-confidence, Malick Thiaw was also at peace with himself. Coach Antonio Di Salvo’s recently weakened German side had won 4-2 against hosts Italy in Ancona on Saturday, showing an impressive performance offensively at times. Captain Malick Thiaw held the German defence together, scraping a ball off his own goal line in the 54th minute. Although the 21-year-old now plays for AC Milan, he still spoke about his former club FC Schalke 04 during the international trip.
Schalke is still his “heart’s club” for Thiaw, as he said in a media round, according to Kicker. He tries to watch every game, Thiaw said. Although Schalke are currently bottom of the table with only nine points from 15 games, Thiaw knows: “The season is still long.” And: In the last few metres of the year, he had seen “a clear increase” in Königsblau.
After Schalke, Thiaw also prevails in Milan
Up until his departure to Italy, Thiaw had played for Schalke for seven years, and he still maintains a lively exchange with the club. He left Schalke for Milan at the end of August. A step that required time to get used to. “It took a little while,” said Thiaw. The defender has long been one of the leading players in the DFB’s youth team, but at Milan he initially had to take a back seat. But Thiaw played his way into the limelight, starting the last two Milan matches before the World Cup break.
“I think the step he has taken to AC Miland is very courageous,” said U21 coach Di Salvo. Of course, he said, he needed time to settle in. “I think the last few games have shown that he can have his place and in the team,” said the national coach. Thiaw acts more mature and adult, then you have a certain charisma as a defender. “Now I expect a player like that, with that aura, to show that in terms of taking over leadership,” Di Salvo said.