On the eve of the clash between AC Milan and Venezia, Stefano Pioli spoke to the media early this morning. After the important win against Roma, the Rossoneri are obviously in good spirits.
Despite the tough situation with many key absences, Milan managed to get the job done and claimed their third consecutive win against Roma. It’s a win that surely has given a boost to their confidence, which took a slight hit towards the end of 2021.
Speaking to the media, as cited by MilanNews, Pioli shared his thoughts on the game against Roma and also the upcoming one vs. Venezia. Among other things, he also touched on the strange Covid-19 situation.
The group helped Kalulu and Gabbia…
“A sense of responsibility and union, a sense of belonging. The group works together to give their best and they do it with great passion. Unity and compactness are the strength of a group and they seek to always give their best.”
On Ibra after the mistake from the penalty spot…
“Zlatan is always pissed off, he is always angry with someone to get his motivations out of himself and from others. He is not happy with the missed penalty, but he is happy with the contribution given. Tomorrow he will show the determination that is needed.”
On the return of Rafael Leao…
“He is approaching 100%, he needs time. I believe he must continue to work with ambition, he can become a strong player on the European and world scene.”
On the moment of the team and the match against Roma…
“The team has done well. When we win, we always run less than our opponents, because it means that we have kept the ball more. From a physical point of view, we have managed it well.”
On the Covid emergency…
“It is a special moment and we must be careful, respecting the protocols to be as safe as possible. It is an unpredictable moment, so we encourage all players to be ready to play.”
On the possible closure of the stadiums…
“We suffered a lot from the absence of the fans. Football is made for the fans, but they too must do their part by respecting the rules.”
On the importance of the next matches…
“They will be complicated games, because the level of the opponents is good. Venezia are a well-trained team, fast and technical. We have to play better than our opponents, with intensity. We will see at the end of the game what we managed to do. We want to claim lots of points and win lots of games, then take stock.”
On the current level of Milan…
“In terms of performance, the team has always been ready, both mentally and in terms of organization. The quality of the plays determines the results.”
A consideration on the goal conceded against Roma…
“I think there was an error in the position, but not by Krunic. We work on it, because we know how much the situations can weigh in the course of a season. We always try to find the best solutions.”
On Tonali’s growth…
“Tonali’s secret is the talent and the work he does every day to improve.”
On Bakayoko…
“The difficulties he had had are due to his physical condition, he arrived with some problems and it took him some time. He changed his playing principles and it takes some time. I am convinced that he is a very strong player, he was unlucky in some situations, but he had some good performances. He can do better and he will give good support to the team.”
A consideration on Zanetti, the Venezia coach…
“He falls into the category of young coaches, but he has precise ideas and clear concepts. A capable coach who is doing well.”
On the management of warned players…
“There are no less important games, all are worth three points. Tomorrow is very important to continue our journey. It is an unpredictable moment, a player can be there tomorrow and not Monday, as long as they are well, the ones I consider the best will play.”
Will it be up to Ibra to take the penalties again?
“He will shoot them if he plays.”
On Theo Hernandez…
“He played the best game of the season in terms of application, attention and defensive work. He didn’t miss a move. He worked well in the days before the game. In football, you can tell many tales, but if you train in a certain way then you play a certain way. Theo has to find this continuity because it has characteristics that are too important for us.”
The women’s team will play the Italian Super Cup today…
“We wish them good luck, I spoke with Maurizio Ganz this morning. We look forward to starting the year in a positive way.”
Can we speak of a falsified championship, given the postponed games?
“This is the season, you have to know how to adapt and respect certain situations. It seems to me that all the European leagues have games that are played and others that aren’t. We are happy to have played, we are facing a team that has not played, it will be good or bad, difficult to predict. We have to put in a solid performance to try to win the game. We respect decisions.”
There is talk of tactical aspects after Thursday’s match…
“We played well against Roma, Venezia will pick us up, we will have to move a lot.”
On Rebic…
“I think he is a strong forward, who has quality and aggression and an important physical strength. He did well both as a centre-forward, we played great games with him there and Leao on the left, but he can also do well starting from the left. Now he has to find the best condition and he will be an extra weapon for the team.”
Again on Tonali…
“He has grown so much that the position on the pitch is not so important. He needed a path of knowledge, but now, whether we play with a top or two midfielders, it is not a problem for him. He has acquired that awareness and that way of being on the pitch that allows him to be useful both in the construction phase and in the defensive phase.”
Milan must always play at a high pace to win…
“True, but it applies to everyone. If you play at a certain intensity, combined with quality, you have a better chance of winning. Really strong teams must win by not always going to 100 per hour, but our mentality can be intense. It is one of the most important characteristics.”
If Leao can reach Mbappé’s levels…
“He reminds me so much of Henry. I think he has to convince himself and work hard on his head to try to be ambitious. One with his means must think of reaching the top of the world, but talent isn’t enough. He has understood that he has to work in a certain way.”
If the enthusiasm has returned…
“The victories give you confidence and awareness, it is right that in certain areas of the field you try to win and play.”
Is Tonali the strongest young player trained by you?
“I think so, Sandro is at a very high level.”
The game is scheduled for 12:30 CET tomorrow and this means that Milan will travel to the city this afternoon, right after the training session. That’s why the press conference took place much earlier than usual.
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Leao reminds him of Henry, and he’s saying tonali better…… scary