Former AC Milan midfielder Clarence Seedorf believes that Stefano Pioli’s side have less quality than title rivals Inter but have pulled themselves on par thanks to their spirit.
Seedorf is a man who knows what it takes and what it means to win with the Rossoneri given his illustrious career in the red and black shirt, and he spoke during an interview with Il Corriere dello Sport about the Scudetto battle that sees his former clubs Milan and Inter in a duel.
“I expected it and at the beginning of the season I said that it would have been a more competitive league than in the past, with more teams competing for the title. I thought that Juventus and Napoli would remain ‘attached’ to the Milanese even more, but they didn’t do their best. Even Roma and Lazio could have had more points,” he said (via SempreMilan.it).
“From the beginning Inter have always been indicated as the favourite because they have the most competitive squad and are champions. But now Milan are on par with the Nerazzurri, in an excellent position to win the Scudetto after so many years. This duel is positive for the show: in Spain, Germany and France everything has been decided for weeks, while in Italy we still have fun.”
The former Dutch international also spoke about what he appreciates most about Pioli’s Milan, who might not boast the same star names as their rivals but make up for it with their desire.
“It’s a team with a very good spirit. You can see from how they celebrate goals, from the commitment that everyone puts in when a team-mate loses an important ball. I notice a positive spirit, the result of the work of a very constant coach in his way of being. Pioli instills serenity in the team and the results can be seen.”
Technical director Maldini was once a team-mate of Seedorf, and the ex-Ajax man believes he deserves plenty of praise for helping to engineer a turnaround since coming back in 2018.
“Paolo with his presence guarantees support for the coach as well as transferring his winning mentality, the Milan DNA to the group. I know Maldini and I know that in moments of difficulty he always finds the balance necessary to help the dressing room, to push the group to be competitive. Thanks to him, Milan have made a big leap in quality compared to the last few years,” he added.
Finally, Seedorf also had his say on the future of Zlatan Ibrahimovic who may well decide to call it a day at the end of the season given his physical problems.
“Costacurta and Maldini played up to 41 years old… Age is a number and Ibra keeps fit because he leads the right life, he pays attention to details. Older players can be more decisive than some 20-year-olds.”
