After two-and-a-half years spent at senior team, Partizan and Serbia U-21 player Mihajlo Ilic moves to Bologna. 20-year-old centre-back signed a 3-year deal with the Italian club.
He spoke to Partizan website before his departure.
“As hard as it can be for me as Partizan kid, this is a big step forward in my career and another dream come true for me. I follow Serie A and I`m happy I`ll be able to learn and progress there. Also, I would like my performances there to show why my Partizan is a big club. I`d like to thank everyone at Partizan, club management and boss Duljaj for enabling me to make one more step up the ladder with this move.
After two beautiful years with seniors and six years with Partizan youths, the day has come for me to move to a probably better club now, to try myself out in a better league. I came here to say goodbye to players with whom I ate, shared dressing room as well as good and bad moments. I also said goodbye to our training centre, people employed here – there`s some nice memories around. I expected this day to arrive but everything happened so fast, in a space of couple of days. I`m travelling tomorrow, to the new environment and new start for me. I`m sure I`m going to miss everyone here – my teammates, coaching staff and training centre, but that`s what football is and we have to get used to it”, said Mihajlo Ilic.
Number of clubs showed interest in signing you few months ago. What were your dreaming about when you first arrived at Partizan?
“Back then, my dream was to remain at Partizan as this is one the best clubs in Europe in my opinion. When you arrive here, your first aim is to step on the field with the seniors, onto the Partizan ground, to train with first team, to reach something you dreamt about. I wanted to make my debut, to become a regular and to play the Eternal derby game. I had a great desire to stay here, whatever the offers in the past, so I could played one Belgrade derby at least, to feel that atmosphere and the whole build-up ahead of it. I did that and we won it, finished half-season as table leaders and created one fine story on the field and in the dressing room. I`m sad I`m kind of leaving my teammates ahead of their new battles but I wish them all the best. I would really like to come back here next summer and celebrate the league title with them”.
What would your message to all the upcoming Partizan youngsters be or young Ilic who just started his Partizan career?
“This was a really tough ride, full of ups and downs, but that`s sport for you. If you don`t hope, you won`t succeed, you`ll hardly achieve anything. All those youngsters who just started, I would advice them to believe and all the dreams can come true! It did the job for me and I`m moving forward now to try and achieve respectable career, to try myself out alongside players who are in top leagues for years now. My message to young Ilic is to retain his hunger for success and everything else he had in him when he arrived to Partizan. This is only the beginning for me”.
Can you describe 24 hours ahead of the Eternal derby game? What were you doing, how did you feel and who did you talk to? How did the entry to the pitch looked like?
“Actually, there were talks about derby being postponed…I had a great desire to play it, whatever the outcome, as derby is one great experience and biggest fixture around, everyone lives for it. Boss tried to relax us during the week and tried to make us enter this game without a burden on our shoulders, which we did eventually. During the final training session, there was a bit of positive goosebumps around. Night before the game I started thinking about how it`s going to turn out and I couldn’t get myself to sleep for a long time. I usually play video games with my roommate Stojkovic but ahead of the derby game we were awake longer than usual and chatted. We were like, tomorrow we`ll be either over the moon or going on a winter break sad we didn`t achieve our goals. The day has come – we came out onto the pitch and everything, the whole evening, fans the team, everything was unreal! We achieved positive result, game itself was good and we were battling hard for each other on the pitch. We finished the half-season in a best possible way, top of the league and all happy about it”.
You were scouted by various clubs over the past few months. How did you feel when you were told your move is about to happen?
“There were lots of rumours during the first half of the season as well but it didn`t get to me really. I was a Partizan players and I was interested in nothing but our games. But, there were calls from various clubs and managers. Winter break started and I was with my family. Day after the Ortodox Christmas, I got a call from my agent and he told me negotiations continue in two days and that he will travel to Italy, expecting everything to be done by the end of the week. We had mid-season preps call-up on Wednesday and everything was clear by Thursday. I was hoping for it and I thought it will happen someday but I believed there`s plenty of time before it happens. All of a sudden, things happen and my head was full of thoughts how I`m going to handle it but people get used to anything. I go there to show my best, to present what this club has done for me. I cannot wait to see where I stand”.
What is it you are going to miss the most from Partizan training centre?
“We were going through some good and bad things here together, but I`m really gonna miss camaraderie with the players I was seeing every day. I`m going to miss people who worked here, who took care of us 24/7. I have to mention PUBG:Battlegrounds, the video game we all played together”.
How much did you follow Serie A? Did you speak to former Partizan centre-back Milenkovic?
“I watch top five European league and I`ve been watching lot of Serie A recently. It looks like it`s the best league for me at the moment, regarding adapting and playing style. But, we`ll see what it is about once I get there. I didn`t speak to anyone but I did meet Milenkovic on the airport during holidays only that I didn`t know anything about my transfer to Italy then”.
Finally, what is your message to Partizan fans?
“First of all, I`d like to thank all true Partizan fans who were supporting us in all of those days – when it was hard and trophyless. I guess the fortunes have to turn in our favour once. I`s also like to thank my teammates. I feel sad this day has come but I`m sure we`ll meet again”, said Mihajlo Ilic.
