AC Milan coach Stefano Pioli has explained how facing Inter is a very different prospect every time compared to other games.
Speaking during an interview with Milan TV (via Milan News), the coach discussed the fact that Inter and Milan have already faced off three times this season and by the end of the Champions League semi-final, they will have played five games against each other in one season.
Pioli explained that these matches are different to others and you cannot focus on what happened in the most recent contest.
“It’s true that it will be the fourth match this year, we will play five, but these are different matches. You can’t take so much cue from previous derbies, the ones we did well and the ones we did badly, also because we know very well that we went through a moment when unfortunately we were not so precise,” Pioli said.
“Now we are certainly ready to play such a high-level match. Then for the tactical keys it’s obvious that we have our plan, our strategy of how we want to build, how we want to attack, how we want to defend. Then there are the opponents who will force us to make the choices on the pitch.”
In this instance, Inter beat Milan 1-0 in Serie A in February. Before that, Inter won 3-0 in the Supercoppa Italiana final. Earlier in the season, though, Milan got the better of the Nerazzurri.
Speaking about the EuroDerby specifically, Pioli focused on how much has changed since it last happened in 2003.
“Twenty years have passed, so a lot has changed in 20 years. Above all the players and the personalities of the players have changed, so it’s fair to know that Paolo (Maldini) and his team-mates have lived through those moments but it’s also true that we have our own way, a different approach. How can we hide the importance of this match? We face it with great motivation, with enthusiasm and with the right serenity of those who know that they are doing well and will do everything to do the best they can,” Pioli said.
Milan went through in that tie with an away goal from Andriy Shevchenko in the second leg.
