Ambrosini: "Gattuso made me a promise; I hope he keeps it. It really moved me, both as an Italian and as a friend"

"We struggled in the first half because we brought onto the pitch exactly what we’d hoped to avoid: a bit of fear and tension. It was inevitable given our past record. After Tonali’s goal early in the second half, there was a sort of… sense of relief, and the team played much better. If the score had remained 0–0, the anxiety would have grown even further. In situations like this, you risk losing your shape, but the Azzurri didn’t. Although, apart from a couple of flashes in the opening minutes, Northern Ireland never really troubled us. On Tuesday, we’ll face a team that’s a mix of experience and talent. I think the pressure in Bergamo can be managed better, even though the stakes are the same, as it will be another do-or-die match.”

"In 1999, Rino joined Milan from Salernitana, the summer after we’d won the Scudetto with Zaccheroni. We’d met during an Under-21 training camp: he asked me about Milan and I asked him about Scotland, where he’d been before returning to Italy. Rino and I met during an Under-21 training camp: he asked me about Milan and I asked him about Scotland, where he’d been before returning to Italy. He was hungry for knowledge, full of enthusiasm and a healthy desire to make his mark. And he had humility and courage. It was infectious… You couldn’t help but love him.”

"Gattuso always listens to what he’s told, even when he’s angry. His stubbornness doesn’t stop him from considering advice. As young lads, ambition was what united us. That feeling made us rivals for a place in the team: he played more than me, and over time I realised that was fair. But we were both ravenous in our love for what we did and for the shirt we wore."

"The best moment? It’s inevitable to mention the victories because they bring you together. So lifting the Champions League trophy in Athens was unforgettable. But we get on well off the pitch too: we’re neighbours in the mountains and I hope, sooner or later, to convince him to come with me for a nice walk. Because I don’t think he’s much of a skier... (laughs, ed.) The hardest moment? When he wanted to stick a fork in Pirlo’s back as a joke and I got in the way... (laughs, ed.). No, come on, I’m being serious. The hardest moment was when I read in the papers that he might be leaving Milan, but I didn’t believe it, so I asked him if it was true and he said yes. I felt a great sense of sadness inside. He made me a promise and I hope he keeps it. He told me that, if we qualified for the World Cup, we’d have a drink together. I’ll be waiting for him in the mountains, so then... we’ll go for a walk.”