Fabio Capello was interviewed by a newspaper following the Europa League Round of 16 draw, with three Italian teams still in the competition. AC Milan will face Slavia Praha but the legendary manager warned that the Rossoneri can never be certain.
Milan won the first leg of the Europe League knockout phase playoff against Stade Rennes by three goals to nil. Therefore, many expected a rather comfortable game in France but instead, the Rossoneri lost the game 3-2 and certainly struggled at times.
Speaking to Gazzetta dello Sport for this morning’s edition (see photo below), Capello shared his thoughts on the Europa League draw. He also spoke about Milan and their struggles in the defensive phase, urging Stefano Pioli to get rid of the two-faced aspect.
On Milan’s struggles…
“Milan are a puzzle: they have great potential, but you never know which team will take the field. There are two Milans: the confident, dominant and attentive one that beat Rennes 3-0 at San Siro and the uncertain and vulnerable one that conceded three goals in France.”
On the Slavia game…
“It could go south if Milan don’t find the balance they lack. The teams that concede few goals, in addition to having great defenders, have a great tactical balance: the Rossoneri sometimes seem too exposed up front, the midfield struggles and the defence suffers.”
Milan will face Atalanta on Sunday evening and since the Bergamo side are just seven points behind, with a game in hand, the Rossoneri need to win. Pioli spoke to the media at his usual press conference and admitted that it will be a difficult clash against an in-form team.
