‘That experience destroyed me psychologically’ - Adel Taarabt on his time at AC Milan

Adel Taarabt has reflected on his time at AC Milan, saying the experience destroyed him psychologically.

The Morocco international joined the San Siro in January 2014 on a six-month loan spell from Queens Park Rangers and made a total of 16 appearances, scoring four goals.

And the winger, back in the Italian Serie A rejuvenating his once promising career at Genoa on an eighteen-month loan deal from Benfica, looked back at his time at the San Siro outift and how it left him a bitter taste.

“That experience destroyed me psychologically,” Taarabt told La Gazzetta dello Sport.

“I had done well with the Rossoneri and we were on the verge of signing the contract, then Pippo Inzaghi arrived and made other choices. Returning to QPR after playing in the Champions League alongside stars like Kaka really hurt.

“I made friends there too, as Mario Balotelli was here three weeks ago in Genoa to see me, while I went to see him in Monaco. He is like me, we both need affection. He has an enormous heart and has found a President at Nice who cares for him, so he’ll become great again.

“I am coming back now, not quite what I was before, but I’m getting there. With Ivan Juric, you always have to go full pelt. He’s fair, though. If you prove that you understood what went wrong, he’ll press the reset button and start again.

“When I first arrived at Genoa, I was out of shape and there were problems, but I realised I had to go towards him and so I started the conversation. I don’t know if we can call each other friends, but he certainly changed my life – and my body, seeing as I lost 11kg,” he concluded.

Taarabt will be looking to showcase how better he is when Genoa visit the San Siro to take on AC Milan in their next Italian topflight encounter on Sunday.