Look at Montella's interview with the Italian press as if he has been in Turkey for 40 years!

The Italian coach Vincenzo Montella, who will face the Netherlands in the quarter-finals of the 2024 European Football Championship, evaluated the performance of the national team in EURO 2024 to Corriere dello Sport from his country.

"IT IS THE TURKISH HEART THAT MAKES US WIN"

Reminded of the celebrations of the Turks on the streets after the successful results of the national team, Montella said, "It is pride for me to make them happy. It is a responsibility that I feel towards a country that made me fall in love with it. Players like me also feel the same responsibility. It is the Turkish heart that made us beat Austria," he said.

"THIS STAIN WAS WEIGHING ON MY CAREER"

Reminded of the match in which Austria beat them with a score of 6-1 in a friendly match in March, the experienced coach said, "Now I can say that I attached special importance to this match. This was not for a sporting revenge against Austria, I have great respect for Austria, but it was more of a revenge for myself. We coaches, players are competitive, but this stain was weighing on my professional career," he said.

PRAISE FOR MERT GÜNOK

When asked about the save made by goalkeeper Mert Günok in the final moments of the Austria match, the Italian coach said, "It is his profession and it was definitely very good. I am very happy for him," he said.

WORDS ABOUT ARDA GÜLER AND KENAN YILDIZ

When asked about star player Arda Güler, Vincenzo Montella said, "He had a magnificent match and managed to transform himself. He ran a lot, I had never seen him run like that before, he was working for the team. I am proud of him and I congratulate him. I have already conveyed these to him personally," he commented.

Regarding Kenan Yıldız's performance, Montella said, "He is strong, has an amazing technique in terms of speed. He needs to manage the moments and the defensive part better in the match, but it is difficult to do without him. He will learn," he said.

COMMENT ON THE NETHERLANDS MATCH: ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE

When asked about their thoughts on their opponents the Netherlands in the quarter-finals of EURO 2024, the 50-year-old coach said, "The excitement of advancing to the next round is over. Now we have to think about the Netherlands." Reminded that the Netherlands is a tough opponent, Montella said, "We will see. Almost all matches in the European Championship were uncertain until the end. I think the next one will be the same. Anything is possible in football, even more so in this tournament. However, we must be careful, tension can deceive us. Look at how tension made our lives difficult against the Czech Republic in the group stage," he said.

"I AM PROUD TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH THESE NAMES"

Reminded of being compared to successful coaches Fatih Terim and Şenol Güneş, who have achieved certain successes with the Turkish national team, the Italian coach said, "It makes me proud to be associated with names that have left their mark on Turkish football history for decades. I have a good relationship with Fatih, there is mutual respect. We met a few months ago. He is from Adana, where I also worked. He worked at Fiorentina and then I did. Similarly, Milan and the Turkish national team are the teams I worked for after him. Our paths crossed," he said.

"TURKEY IS A WONDERFUL COUNTRY"

When asked if he is at the peak of his career, Vincenzo Montella said that winning the Italian Super Cup with Milan in 2016 was a great feeling for him, that not many coaches experience such moments, and that he is enjoying working with the Turkish national team at the moment.

Montella said that he is in competition with himself, that's why he came to Turkey 3 years ago, and that he made this decision to test himself here, and it was not easy, but Turkey is a wonderful country, he added.