Krzysztof Piątek Fires Parting Shot at AC Milan After January Move
By 90min
Hertha BSC's January signing Krzysztof Piątek fired a parting shot at his former side AC Milan, as he suggested that the Italian club have a tendency to change their striker each year regardless of their performance.
Piątek only joined Milan in January 2019 after impressing with fellow Serie A side Genoa in the first half of the 2018/19 season. The Poland international scored 30 goals in 42 games last season. However, his form has since nosedived.
Following just one goal from open play in the league this term, Milan brought in Zlatan Ibrahimović, while Piątek - who was also linked with Premier League sides Tottenham and Chelsea - was allowed to move away for around £24m late in the window.
The striker made his debut for Hertha on Friday night, just three days after his last appearance for Milan in the Coppa Italia.
Speaking to Polish publication Super Express about his time in with the Serie A side, Piątek said: "A nice year spent there, although the last months were not easy. In a year I scored 16 goals, which is probably not a bad result, but the fate went this way.
"In Milan they change the striker every year and this is probably the habit of some in this club. The fact is that we have not scored goals lately and I have not been effective."
The 24-year-old continued: "My sentiment for Milan will remain for the rest of my life. The way the supporters welcomed me at the beginning and everyone in the club was amazing. However, life goes on because football is like that."
The Polish forward's goal drought continued during his first match for Hertha BSC as he was unable to trouble the scoreline after being subbed on just after the 60th-minute.
Jürgen Klinsmann's side sit 13th in the Bundesliga but have high ambitions of consistent European football in the near future. Piątek was one of four signings in January alone which totalled to a financial investment of more than £70m.
However, should those ambitions be met, Hertha's new front man will soon have to rediscover the form which instigated his move in January last year.