Ahead of the clash between AC Milan and Udinese, which will kick off shortly, Paolo Maldini spoke to the media about the Rossoneri’s situation. Currently at the top of the standings, they want to remain there.
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Stefano Pioli’s men were knocked out of the Champions League earlier this week, losing to Liverpool at home. Although it was a bit of a disappointment for them, they will have the chance to focus solely on the league from here on.
Speaking to Sky Italia, as cited by MilanNews, Paolo Maldini shared his thoughts on tonight’s game but also the upcoming transfer window. He also spoke about the Rossoneri’s exit from the Champions League.
“Champions League? It was a disappointment. We have shown that to get to those levels we have to take one or two steps, Milan is also mentality. We know we are on the right path and if we had drew at home with Atletico we would have qualified, but in 6 games we have only won one,” he said.
“First of all it is mathematical that if you have high revenues, you have the possibility of having a very competitive squad. To get there you have to be creative and each team has its own stake. We have taken a sustainable path. Seven years without the Champions League, we are 48th in the UEFA Ranking and we have finished fourth: this is the result of the past, but we hope to continue.”
On the mentality: “Mentality means being able to manage the 3 weekly games, manage the pressure and the big matches. All these things are acquired over time and not everyone acquires them in the same way. It was a fantastic experience.”
On the gap between the league and the Champions League in the 90s: “For me it wasn’t there, the best league was the Italian one in the 90s. Regarding the English league, it is necessary to specify: Liverpool and City are one thing, from United downwards it is another. There are two clearly superior teams.”
On the January market: “Many things are said, but I can assure you that 10% of the things that are said are true. We are evaluating if there was the possibility of a player ready immediately or perhaps for next season, but it is not certain that he can be found. Beyond the African Cup of Nations, I consider ours a competitive team for the league and the Coppa Italia.”
Hopefully, Milan will come away with all three points tonight but it won’t be easy, especially considering that they have eight players out for the game. That’s why these final three games before Christmas are very important.
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