Former Celtic and AC Milan midfielder Massimo Donati has admitted that he regrets leaving the Scottish club in 2009.
The Italian had spent two years in Glasgow before returning to Italy, but he realises now that he should have stayed put in Northern Europe.
“Because sometimes people in life make mistakes and I made a mistake,” he told The Italian Football Podcast when asked why he left Celtic. “It’s simple.
“My family and my wife were a bit homesick. My two children were born in Glasgow. The second season I had wasn’t the best, I had a few problems with Gordon Strachan.
“But you make decisions, you think ‘I have two young kids, maybe we should go back to the family’, but I wasn’t sure about this, but I said this to the club.
“In the third season, Tony Mowbray took over as coach. And honestly, he loved me, he said to me that I could play in midfield or defence. I left the club on August 29, but at the start of the season, I had played every game for Celtic and even scored a goal against Arsenal in the Champions League.
“Tony said to me: ‘Why do you have to go? Why do you have to go?
“In my mind, I was torn and thought: ‘What should I do? What should I do?’ but then an offer came from Bari, and the club accepted the offer. So I left.”
Milan and Celtic meet in the Europa League on Thursday evening and Donati believes that the Rossoneri’s form could favour them, but he refused to write the Scottish side off.
“It’s hard to say [who will win],” he added. “Mentally, Milan are very good right now. They are top of the league, every player is very confident.
“Celtic are the opposite. They are not having very good results and the pressure is on and there are some rumours. So mentally Milan are ahead but it is still a game.
“In the first game this season, Milan dominated the first part of the game but after Neil Lennon made some changes Celtic then were the better team.
“Celtic just have to play as if they have nothing to lose, push and run and then they can do a very good game.”
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Source: forzaitalianfootball.com