MILAN – Giacomo Bonaventura has won the Serie A Gentleman award at tonight’s 2016 Gentleman Fair Play Awards.

The 21st edition of the annual event took place at the Scuola Militare Teuliè in Milan and also saw Carlos Bacca named as AC Milan Gentleman of the Year.

Josè Mauri won the Revelation of the Season while Keisuke Honda also took home an award for AC Milan goal of the season for his long-range strike at home to Genoa.

MILAN – This is what the Rossoneri stars had to say to the Milan Channel at Monday night’s 2016 Gentleman Fair Play Awards.

Giacomo Bonaventura: “I am feeling fairly good. Today I had a check-up. I don’t know if I will be available for the match with Bologna. But I will definitely be available for the game with Roma. I don’t feel like an example to follow. I simply try and give my all to help the team and that is the target I set myself when I play. I am pleased to be here as this is a prestigious award and is further motivation to keep playing at the highest levels. I feel I have had a positive season. I have played with a lot of intensity and achieved some great things. I am happy with my contribution to the team. We have to try and qualify for Europe. Recent results have not been great, but us the players have to roll-up our sleeves and ensure we end the season on a high. We want to claim sixth spot in the table and put in a great performance in the final of the TIM Cup.”

Carlos Bacca: “I am pleased with my first season, with how I have played and for this award. But I am not focusing just on myself. We have to work hard to do well in the end of season run-in and in the final of the TIM Cup. At the moment, we aren’t doing well but we can turn it around in the final. We need to work hard ahead of the final and ensure we have the right mentality. Then, and as I always say, we must have faith in God. Finals are there to be won. No one ever remembers the runners-up, only the winners.”

Josè Mauri: “Wearing the Milan jersey is always a source of pride. I can do more as I don’t think I have played to the best of my abilities in the past two games. I’m aware of the confidence that the coach has in me and this makes me happy. I hope I can find the confidence to give more. The final of the TIM Cup won’t salvage the season, but I hope to reach the final in top-shape and to start. If I play well, then I will be more in than out of the club.”

There was a special guest too in the form of Gerard Piquè. These were his comments to the club’s in-house TV channel: “It’s obvious that a club with Milan’s history is missed in Europe. But if they aren’t there it’s because they don’t deserve it while others do. Milan are in a similar situation to Inter, even if Milan have won more Champions Leagues. However, they will bounce back and they will return to winning the league like they used to. At the moment Juve and Napoli are the teams fighting for the title. Milan and Inter will have to wait for the coming years.”

MILAN – This is what was said by Fabio Cannavaro and Rino Gattuso earlier today as part of the TIM Cup handover ceremony:

Fabio Cannavaro: “I won the Italian Cup twice with Parma and both triumphs meant a lot to me. The TIM Cup is even more beautiful than when I last lifted it! Two strong teams will go head to head in this year’s final. Overall, I don’t miss being a footballer. Rino and I both won a lot during our careers, but we have since undertaken a new career path.”

Rino Gattuso: “I am very proud to have won this trophy back in 2003. When I wore the Milan jersey I felt like a captain, fan and president! For me it was a dream that lasted 14 years and I have always felt proud to play for the club. Football has always been my life and I had the good fortune of turning my passion into my job.”

The Lega Serie A President Maurizio Beretta was also part of the event that saw the TIM Cup trophy make its way down via high-speed train from Milan to Rome where the final will be played at the Olimpico between Milan-Juve on May 21. These were his comments: “I want to thank Fabio Cannavaro, Gennaro Gattuso and the two finalists, Milan and Juventus, for the enthusiasm shown for this initiative. The TIM Cup is by now an asset of our game and the new formula has revitalised interest and TV viewers in this competition. We’re grateful to Cannavaro and Gattuso for their passion for the game and the fair-play they have always shown and which brought the best out of our championship.”

MILAN – The 2016 edition of the Gentleman Fair Play Awards will be taking place tonight at the Scuola Militare Teuliè in Milan from 20.00. Here are the awards up for grabs and the nominations:

Gentleman Fair Play Serie A
Francesco Acerbi – US Sassuolo Calcio
Giacomo Bonaventura – AC Milan
Gianluigi Buffon – Juventus FC

Gentleman AC Milan
Giacomo Bonaventura
Carlos Bacca
Riccardo Montolivo

Best Goal AC Milan
Keisuke Honda
Giacomo Bonaventura
M’Baye Niang

MILAN – Click here to check out a photo on twitter of Rino Gattuso and Fabio Cannavaro on the way down to Rome from Milan with the TIM Cup on the Frecciarossa 1000 train! The World Cup winners both took part earlier today in the handover ceremony ahead of this year’s final between Milan-Juventus on May 21.