Savićević: Berlusconi loved and defended me, even too much... I am coming to the funeral by car

I've said it before - Silvio Berlusconi was like a second father to me. It seems like a big and exaggerated sentence, but it's true. I felt that he loved me, respected me, defended me. Even too much.

With these words, Dejan Savićević, legend of Milan and current president of the Football Association of Montenegro, for "Sport newspaper" described his relationship with the former first man of the Rossoneri and the former prime minister of Italy, who died on Monday at the age of 86.

"He loved me, and I loved him too. I will say goodbye to him for the last time," added Savićević and revealed that he went to Berlusconi's funeral by car.

"I spoke with Danijele Masar (former teammate of Savićević in Milan, ed.) and told him that I could come by plane, but he advised me to wait, because it is a state funeral, that there are rules and restrictions for security. "Okay, I understand that and at that moment I left Podgorica by car for Milan. Today I will also be at the Duomo, I couldn't miss that," Savićević added.

A state funeral is scheduled for this afternoon in Piazza Duomo in Milan.

The Gazeta journalist was interested in the sense in which Berlusconi was Savićević's second father.

"I made mistakes, but he would fix everything and tell me to stay calm, to be patient. Once against Anderlecht I refused to stay on the bench, coach Fabio Capello was angry. Berlusconi agreed with Fabia, but also said that Dejan must to understand that he is a champion and that he is suffering because he is not playing," explained Savićević.

The Montenegrin "genius" has been angry about the bench before.

"You know, I wanted to play. It's true that at the age of 17 I refused the bench and told the coach of Budućnost: 'Either I play or I go to the stands'. At 21, I told the head coach of Yugoslavia Ivica Osim: 'If you call me, let me play, otherwise I will stay at home'. I wanted to play, play and play," says Savićević.

He also remembered his arrival in Milan.

"It was very difficult at first, I couldn't stand it - I wanted to go home. After six months I asked to leave".

Did you tell Berlusconi that?

"Yes, but he told me to stay calm. Capello let me play very little, also because Ruud Gullit, Marko van Basten and Frank Rijkaard were there".

And when did Savićević become the genius of Milan?

"After some time and many problems due to the language, getting used to the city, food, teammates, the second league. The president and then-teammate Zvonimir Boban helped me a lot. Zvone told me: 'Dejan, don't be stupid - you are stronger than everyone, don't you go. You'll see, play and break everything'".

An unforgettable story is also the Champions League final in Athens in 1994 and Savićević's lob - one of the most beautiful goals in the history of this competition.

"Almost thirty years have passed, but the truth is that you never forget certain things, certain emotions. We played against Barcelona, ​​we were outsiders, doomed to fail. And instead we won 4:0," says Savićević.

What did Berlusconi tell you then?

"He wasn't there, because they just elected him prime minister. He called me the day before the match and said: Dear Dejan, they say you're a genius. Well, show me against Barcelona."

Savićević did not disappoint him...

"It was perhaps the most beautiful final. And when I think of that goal, I always think of my Milan, Berlusconi, that wonderful environment. We became like that because he was there - our great president," concluded Savićević.