Junior Messias of AC Milan

Messias admits Milan ‘defend better’ but a key area ‘needs to be improved’

Junior Messias has admitted that AC Milan needed to shake things up after the collapse against Roma but believes that attacking phase still needs work.

Milan seem to have put an awful start to 2023 behind them in which they went seven games without a win after opening the new year with a victory over Salernitana. Stefano Pioli’s men are on a three-game winning run and seems to have stabilised.

Each of those wins came by a one-goal margin and the most recent match-winner was Messias as the Brazilian netted at the U-Power Stadium to settle the game against Monza last weekend.

Messias spoke to SportMediaset as part of the 20th anniversary event that Milan put on for Fondazione Milan last night and he was asked about a number of topics from the recent struggles to his own personal objectives, with MilanNews relaying his comments.

On the season so far: “This season there is awareness of who we are. Beyond the negative period we have always been there, the enthusiasm he has never failed even when we were in difficulty and if Napoli hadn’t been there we could have hoped for the title. Now we are three points behind Inter and second place. We are going our own way.”

On the goal against Monza: “A great satisfaction but the victory counts more.”

On the change of formation: “We weren’t able to understand what was happening but it was more a mental factor. After the draw with Roma, the team collapsed a bit. We needed to change something and shake things up, thank goodness it went well. Now we defend better with the new formation but the attacking part needs to be improved.”

On the return of the injured players: “Ibrahimovic and Maignan are important returns but they are all important. Even Florenzi, even Bakayoko, who gave us a hand in the last match.”

On personal targets: “I try to give my best both as a starter and as a substitute when the coach needs it.”

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