Former AC Milan star Andriy Shevchenko has said that he considers Italy to be his second home and he has been grateful with the support the Italians have offered Ukraine since the conflict with Russia began.
The 45-year-old recently had a dismal stint as coach of Genoa, but he is still highly regarded on the Italian Peninsula thanks to his heroics with the Rossoneri, including his winning penalty in the 2003 Champions League Final against Juventus in England.
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“The response from Italy has been exceptional,” Shevchenko told Il Corriere della Sera.
“Through GoFundMe we have raised €343,764 for the Red Cross: trauma kits, medicines, food.
“Other funds were collected by the Milan Foundation, which put up for sale the replica of the shirts we wore in Manchester when we won the Champions League in 2003.
“My friend Giorgio Armani called me, and he got into action. I spoke to the mayor of Florence and the mayor of Milan. I hope to be able to announce a special initiative soon.
“Milan and Italy are my second home. Milan is a particularly generous city. I am sure that it can and will welcome many Ukrainians fleeing the war.
“Almost all of them will be children, women and the elderly, because men between 18 and 60 cannot leave the country.”