AC Milan boss Gattuso spoke with the media before the match against Chievo this Saturday.
The interview covered a range of topics before the showdown against Serie A’s bottom-placed team in Verona, during which the Rossoneri will be looking to consolidate their third-place position in the table.
“The game against Chievo will be tough,” he told reporters.
“We have to be very careful tomorrow and battle till the end. They respect their opponents and we have to be on guard. We have to be aware that we play against a team that has all to play for. They will be at their best against us.”
When discussing Conti: “I like what I heard during his interview, he showed respect and professionalism towards his teammates. It is normal that he doesn’t have the full 90 minutes in him yet, he should face it with joy.
“We have all to play for tomorrow against Chievo but we have to be wary. It is not by chance that Lazio, Roma, Juve and Inter all struggled against them. Forget about the derby game for now, it will take care of itself when the time comes.
“I feel bad for my colleague (Eusebio Di Francesco), he has been coaching in Serie A for quite a while but my focus is on the team. I have a good relationship with Eusebio but I have to worry about my problems and make my boys perform well.”
When asked if he will change the line up: “If we make some changes at Verona it will be because we need to recover mental and physical energy after 12-13 games played in full force.
“Now that I have a good number of players from the start I have to give them more playing space.”
When asked about Suso’s form: “He is not struggling physically. I have seen few players partake in 50-60 games a year in top form. It is normal to have some gray performances: he is an important player and is vital to make the next big step forward.”
Regarding Inter’s situation: “Do you think I am the type to poke into other people’s business? I struggle to sleep at night because of my problems. My focus is on my team. My job is to maintain balance in the locker room and keep the mood calm.
If I lose a couple of games I’m at risk too. I won’t get drawn into this game you journalist tend to play. I am not thinking of my future but my focus is on the game against Chievo. The most important thing is AC Milan’s future.”
On Calhanoglu, Biglia, and Zapata: “We are happy for Calhanoglu, he was in Germany with his wife. Now he is back with the team and is available.
“He has been out for quite a while and played only bits of some games lately, we will evaluate his condition tomorrow.
“His contract renewal? The club put forward a proposal, now we will see what his decision is but these are issues handled by Leonardo and Maldini. He took part in the first training session today: he should be available next week.”
