Sassuolo CEO Giovanni Carnevali has warned AC Milan that they are mistaken if they think that Sunday’s game and the quest to earn a draw at least will be easy.
Milan make the trip to Reggio-Emilia knowing that if they earn at least a point against Sassuolo they will be crowned champions of Italy for a 19th time, but it is a game that is not without potential difficulties.
Sassuolo have shown this season that they have a dangerous group of forwards capable of beating any top team on their day, as seen when they beat the Rossoneri 3-1 at San Siro earlier in the campaign.
It is logical therefore to expect another tough game on Sunday as the Neroverdi have the chance to spoil the party. Now, Carnevali has given an interview to Corriere dello Sport about the upcoming game.
“We know that we will play against a team that can win the Scudetto, but we want to finish the season well, get the best possible position. I am sure that the team will show a lot of attention even if I would have liked the tricolor to have been awarded last weekend,” he said (via SempreMilan.it).
“I would have avoided this stress. Getting an important result would be an excellent showcase. We know what we are capable of and we want to prove it once more. I hope Pioli is a little worried about facing us. We know what we are capable of and we want to prove it once more.
“Milan are going through a great moment of form, they have shown that they have a strong team and are deserving this first place in the standings. That said, I hope Stefano Pioli is a little worried about facing us.”
Carnevali talked about the pressure received from Inter and Milan fans.
“Dinners paid for ten years by beating Milan? In these days of dinners together, we don’t talk about it. I am very attached to Marotta, with whom I worked and from whom I learned a lot, but I am also a friend of Paolo Maldini and Frederic Massara, who was a player of mine at Pavia.
“Since Sunday, when I walk on the street, the Inter fans approach me and say ‘I recommend…’ I smile. Two minutes pass and some Milan fans arrive repeating the same sentence. And I still smile. We don’t want to do anyone any favours: the only goal is to play our match and try to win points to finish tenth or maybe ninth.
“We will certainly do our utmost commitment and professionalism as has always happened in recent years. Milan favourite? They have an advantage without a doubt, but there is everything in football.”
On the fact it will be a sell-out at the Mapei Stadium: “I have not been able to answer for two days: it is a constant hunt for tickets because everyone on Sunday would like to be at Mapei Stadium.
“However, there are no more tickets: in an hour and a half we were ‘pulverised’ for 16,500 tickets and the stadium is sold out. It doesn’t surprise me since Milan has always had 70,000 fans at the San Siro lately. So many requests, arriving from all over Italy and in the first 90 minutes of sales, however, were something I did not imagine.”
On the Rossoneri’s interest in Berardi, Carnevali added: “There has never been an official request from Milan for Domenico. I’ve heard they like him, but nothing more. Berardi is our champion and, if I were the manager of a big club, the first Sassuolo player I would try to buy would be him. He also scored in Bologna allowing us to win the derby and also this year to finish in front of the rossoblù.”
