On the eve of the clash between AC Milan and Lazio, Stefano Pioli spoke to the media at the usual press conference. With two wins in the bag, the Rossoneri will be looking to secure another three points.
Milan will start a tough period tomorrow as they will take on Lazio, Liverpool and then Juventus in the span of seven days. Obviously, they will have to be at their best to get good results against these sides.
Speaking at the usual press conference (via MilanNews), Stefano Pioli shared his thoughts on the game and also revealed that two players will be unavailable, namely Rade Krunic and Olivier Giroud. But there are also some returns.
On the break…
“It was a pretty good stop, we didn’t need Krunic’s injury. There comes a time of the season when we will be busy every 3 days. Krunic will not be there and Giroud will not be there, he has been out for two weeks, we will see him again on Monday.”
On Ibra and Kessie…
“They are fine, they have worked continuously in these two weeks. They are available for tomorrow.”
The management of Ibra…
“He is a great man, he knows very well what his condition is. He sacrificed a lot to recover, working from morning to night. Now he is fine, none of the Milan team can play all 7 games in full in these 21 days. There will be no problems managing him, I hope he will have that continuity that he lacked last year.”
On the renewal of Kessie and the importance of the player…
“I would like Kessie to sign, it is a situation that concerns the club and its agent more. When there is a negotiation it goes on for a long time, it is normal that this is the case. With Franck, we talk about the pitch and I see him motivated, calm and positive. At the moment there are no problems.”
On Tonali…
“I think his growth is there for all to see, he is complete. His qualities are showing, he is a serious guy. Sandro knows that there is great competitiveness in this team. They all know that it is not the number of minutes but the quality that will be decisive.”
Do you think you have enough depth for this season?
“Absolutely yes, we have improved our depth. Messias is even further behind, he needs specific work. Bakayoko is also a bit behind. I hope to have them all a bit more homogeneous, but complete condition. We have a team that gives me the possibility to make different choices and to be competitive.”
Milan-Lazio, continuity vs. revolution…
“On paper, it’s a match between two teams with great quality. A spectacular match. Lazio are very strong in all departments, they combine quality and physicality, they started strong. We are doing well, we want to try to win tomorrow too. Both teams will try to create difficulties for their opponent.”
The relationship between Kessie and the fans…
“Our fans are smart enough to not put Milan above everything. San Siro will be full tomorrow night too. There is too much talk about it and too much. What must be of interest to the fans and the coach is that the team gives its soul, Franck is one of them. All Milan players will have to be supported as the fans have always done, I’m not worried.”
On Romagnoli…
“I will field the best possible formation for the condition of my players and what I have seen.”
A week of fire…
“Each test will tell us the level we have reached and will tell us where to improve. Very challenging and stimulating games await us, we must face them as great opportunities to demonstrate our level.”
On Ibra’s minutes tomorrow…
“I believe that tomorrow Zlatan can play a part of the game and not the 90 minutes to find the best condition and be more ready for the next games. We will see what choices I will make from the beginning.”
Florenzi-Saelemaekers alternation?
“I will evaluate the formation until tomorrow morning, I will choose it based on what I have seen in these days. Everything is possible but we will not change our attitude. It is a direct clash, we want to try to win and stay in the lead.”
On the growth of Brahim Diaz…
“He is very strong and has grown a lot. He came from a different league, now he is complete. He is an attacking midfielder, he has to look for difficult plays and he has to continue working with the team.”
On Messias…
“He is very available and intelligent. I think he can definitely play on the right. I think he can do well even as a trequartista. Now he has to recover his condition, then he will have his chances.”
On how to face big matches…
“The victories give you condition and morale. But it is the attitudes that must be maintained during the game. It is the availability, the sacrifice, the extra push that can always be decisive. Winning is good but we must always remain very humble, aware of how much we have to put into the game.”
Did something special happen during the preparation that you could use as motivation?
“These are things that the longer they stay in Milanello, the better. The important thing is to have a very available group and I’m proud of it, seeing them work fills me with satisfaction.”
Can the excitement of the Champions League give you more energy?
“The characteristics of the teams are difficult to put together. Lazio play with a true centre-forward, Liverpool with a mobile centre-forward. The matches are very different, we have our way of being on the pitch that we have confidence in. From Monday we will think about the Champions League. Today we are focused on Lazio “.
On a possible three-man midfield…
“It can be an alternative, all the midfielders need to be at their best. Isma played for the national team for 90 minutes and hadn’t played a full 90 minutes for a while. Bakayoko is still not at 100%. When I have everyone in good condition there are the qualities and characteristics for a three-man midfield. The important thing is to have everyone in the best possible condition as soon as possible,”
On Pellegri…
“Pellegri is fine, he’s working well, he’s taking care of his situation. I think he can be called up for tomorrow.”
Tomorrow’s midfield match…
“There will be close positions on the pitch, there will be important duels. We will have to be very careful because there are very strong opponents but so are my players.”
The game is scheduled for 18:00 CEST and San Siro is sold out, meaning the atmosphere at the game should be really good. Hopefully, the Rossoneri will have three more points to celebrate at the end of the evening.
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