Taarabt stated in an interview that Amorim is like Gasperini, prioritizing the collective over the individual.

Balotelli once said, "Technically, he's stronger than Neymar." His Tottenham Hotspur teammate, Modric, called him "Zidane." Adel Taarabt was once a highly talented magician in football, capable of various dribbling moves in an instant. Paradoxically, the best Taarabt was often unseen. Taarabt said, "People have always criticized my character, and sometimes I did go too far, that's true. But in training, I could do many moves that people didn't see outside: rabonas, step-overs, endless feints."

Taarabt had a decent six-month spell at Milan in 2014, but Inzaghi decided not to keep him, and he fell into depression. Taarabt said, "That's one of my biggest regrets." He also played for Benfica in his career, where he met Ruben Amorim, Diego Moreira, and Gonçalo Ramos.

Adel, a simple question. What do you think of the current Milan?

Taarabt said, "Amorim and I have known each other since our time at Benfica, although we never played together. He's a top coach, very charismatic, and very direct. If someone needs to be dropped from the squad, he won't hesitate. He speaks his mind. Before he signed with Milan, I had heard rumors that he might return to coach Benfica. One day, I think he will coach there. I somewhat compare him to Gasperini, because for him, the collective is always more important than the individual."

Which Milan player do you like?

Taarabt said, "Diego Moreira is my friend. I met him at Benfica, and he also speaks Moroccan Arabic because his mother's partner does. I spoke to him before he signed with Milan. I told him: 'Diego, go to a big club. You need strong enough shoulders, because the pressure will be immense.' He actually already knew all this. He's a very humble kid, always smiling. In his free time, he likes to dance, and those few braids make him unique."

Be more specific: what position does he really play?

Taarabt said, "He's a right winger, with incredible intensity, and can play across the entire flank. With Amorim guiding him, he'll only continue to grow. His brace against Lazio was just an appetizer of what Milan fans will see next. He's strong, I can guarantee it."

What about Gonçalo Ramos?

Taarabt said, "Another old friend. I haven't talked to him recently, but he's strong. Although I'm not sure if he's a pure number 9. At Benfica B, he played on the wing, dribbling forward like a horse. At Milan, I think he struggles a bit with back-to-goal play. He can play as a second striker, but he'll fight tooth and nail for the team. Against Juventus, he was too isolated in the box, but I think with time, Amorim will bring him to life."

You were also teammates with Luka Modric at Tottenham Hotspur?

Taarabt said, "He called me 'Zidane.' I was 18 at the time, and one day Luka told me that my style of play was like Zidane's. Coming from a future Ballon d'Or winner, that really hit differently."

Let's talk about the opponents. What do you think of this Benfica team when they come to San Siro?

Taarabt said, "Benfica has changed a lot over the years, including at the club level. Rui Costa has only won one league title since becoming president. That's what the fans care about most; European competitions come second. European competitions are more for player development, and then selling them for a high price."

Which players are worth watching?

Taarabt said, "I think Pavlidis will struggle more in European competitions. He scores a lot of goals, but the gap between strong and weak teams in the Portuguese league is too big. I particularly like Prestianni: he's an Argentine talent who can dribble and score goals. I need to get a clearer look at Sudakov. He has good technique, but he's not agile enough.

However, in tight spaces, playing behind the striker, he can still create danger. Rafa Silva is like a brother, and he's severely underrated. He has vision and imagination. I played with him, and he loves Benfica more than anyone. He once rejected Manchester United. Keep an eye on Barreiro too, he's a box-to-box central midfielder who can run and organize. I think he'll be sold for a lot of money in two years. Milan is still stronger and more favored. The era of that past Benfica team with Darwin Núñez is over."

Both teams like to control possession. What kind of game do you expect?

Taarabt said, "I learned one thing at Benfica: they like to play risky football. They like to pass the ball around, build from the back, and they know they'll make mistakes, but they won't be immediately criticized for it. That's part of the game. It's completely different in Italy: you make a mistake and you get yelled at. I also told Moreira that."

What about the coach?

Taarabt said, "I really like Marco Silva: he's experienced and very good at adapting to opponents. The wide plays, especially the attacking patterns with the full-backs overlapping, will be weapons Milan must watch out for. Also, be careful of counter-attacks: this Benfica team is very direct."

Let's delve deeper into your experience. You played for Milan on loan for 6 months in 2014 and were not bought outright afterward. Why?

Taarabt said, "Inzaghi didn't want to keep me, it's that simple. During that time, I was the best, scoring 4 goals and providing 2 assists. I'm not saying this to disrespect Robinho, Kaká, and Balotelli; they are all very strong players. Seedorf really appreciated me. Our relationship was almost like father and son. I still remember my Champions League debut against Atlético Madrid: I played a very good game in the first leg. I thought I would be kept, but I wasn't, and I fell into depression because of it. Coupled with not being able to transfer to Paris Saint-Germain, these two things are my biggest regrets."

People always said you had character issues, especially considering how much talent you possessed.

Taarabt said, "No one ever really saw me in training. I would do rabonas, step-overs, all sorts of feints. I even drove Mexes crazy with my dribbling. Balotelli even compared me to Neymar. Besides, if I was substituted in a game, and I didn't want to come off, I would get angry at the coach. But I've always been friendly and polite. It's just off the field, I liked to party..."

Taarabt also said, "Abate always yelled at me, it was really annoying. But he's a truly wonderful person..."

How did you party?

Taarabt said, "Restaurants and nightclubs. In Milan, after Sunday games, we would go to the Hollywood nightclub. You'd meet players from other teams there too. It was quite interesting."

I heard you once grabbed Kaká by the neck?

Taarabt said, "That was in training, an attack vs. defense drill. I didn't pass the ball to Ricky, and he yelled at me for several minutes, he just wouldn't stop. Then I lost control for a moment and grabbed him by the neck. I lost my temper in that instant. In the end, we both apologized to each other."

So Abate also often yelled at you?

Taarabt said, "He always talked a lot. Sometimes Seedorf would play me on the right wing, and Abate would be at right-back. He would constantly whisper in my ear: 'This way, that way, push up, track back...' Eventually, I couldn't take it anymore and told him: 'Shut up!' He wasn't being malicious towards me, but he was really annoying on the field. Nevertheless, Abate is still a truly wonderful person."

So how was your time at Benfica?

Taarabt said, "Not good. I went there in 2015, but I hardly played for the first two years. I had gained 5 kilos, and the coach Rui Vitória didn't want me, he wouldn't even acknowledge me. So I started acting grumpy too. I was first loaned to Genoa, then returned to Lisbon to play for the B team. I still had 3 years left on my contract. Things only changed when Bruno Lage was promoted to the first team. He really appreciated me. He went to Rui Costa and said he wanted me to be with him."

Later you went to the UAE, where you ended your career.

Taarabt said, "In 2021, Rui Costa and I reached an agreement: if we qualified for the Champions League, I would be free to leave at the end of the season. We beat PSV Eindhoven, and at the end of the year, he let me go. I was 32 at the time, and Al-Nassr offered me a lot of money. And I'm also Muslim, which made the decision easier for me and my family."

Is there still a lack of attacking midfielders like Taarabt in football today?

Taarabt said, "Players nowadays are like horses, they just run."

Why did you decide to retire?

Taarabt said, "Last December, I tore my ACL in a game against Sharjah. I decided to stop after that, at 37, I couldn't keep going. Now I live in Marrakech, but I'll be moving to Wales soon: I'll be taking coaching courses there."

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