- Álvaro Morata regrets leaving Atlético Madrid, admitting personal struggles led to his Milan move
- Persistent calls from Paulo Fonseca convinced him to join AC Milan, but he quickly realized it was a mistake
- Now at Galatasaray on loan until 2026, Morata says he is happy but wouldn’t have left Atlético if given another chance
Key Takeaways:
Alvaro Morata regrets leaving Atletico Madrid for AC Milan last summer, revealing that personal problems influenced him to make the wrong decision. The Spanish striker explained that persistent phone calls from then-Rossoneri coach Paulo Fonseca made him feel valued, ultimately convincing him to return to Serie A.
🎙️ Álvaro Morata, en la Cadena SER: “Si fuese atrás en el tiempo, no me iría del Atlético. Tendría que haber pensado más las cosas” pic.twitter.com/oOGsGGw4LC
— Esteban Gómez (@mirondo9) March 19, 2025
Morata scored just five goals in 16 league matches before parting ways with Milan after six months, with the arrival of Sergio Conceicao in late December playing a key role in his departure. In January, he joined Galatasaray on loan in a deal that helped Milan finance the signing of Santiago Gimenez from Feyenoord.
“Fonseca called me every day. I should have never left Atletico, but I wasn’t feeling well, and when you’re not in a good place, you make bad decisions in every aspect of life” Morata said in an interview with Cadena SER.
“I needed to feel loved and valued. I had to decide quickly and didn’t realize that Diego Simeone also cared about me and valued me. My father and my agent told me I was making a mistake, but I didn’t listen. When you go through difficult times, everything seems grey even if people around you tell you otherwise. If I could go back, I would never have left Atletico, but you can’t change the past, and now I’m very happy” he added.
Morata’s loan deal with the Turkish giants runs until January 2026 and includes an €8 million purchase option.