AC Milan sporting director Igli Tare has previewed a ‘crucial’ clash with Napoli, while defending Rafael Leao from criticism.
To call it a big game at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on Easter Monday would be an understatement. One point is all that separates Milan in second from Napoli in third, while Inter beat Roma on Sunday night to move nine clear at the top, at least for the time being.
The big news before kick-off is that Massimiliano Allegri has opted not to start neither Rafael Leao nor Christian Pulisic in his 3-5-2. Instead, he has gone with the unprecedented duo (at least from the start) of Christopher Nkunku and Niclas Füllkrug. Napoli, meanwhile, do not have Rasmus Hojlund.
Tare spoke to DAZN around 30 minutes before the game at the Maradona, answering questions on a number of different topics. MilanNews relayed what he had to say.
Tonight is a huge game…
“Two great teams are playing, the standings also show that. Tonight will be a spectacle. We’ll have to be good at understanding that there’s a lot at stake in the standings today, especially considering Juventus’ win – the standings have been updated. Tonight is crucial for us, why not come away with a win?”
The untested Fullkrug-Nkunku duo will be used…
“There’s nothing surprising about it. They’re two important players, like the other forwards we have in the squad. The best thing for Allegri today is having so many options.”
When you look at the table, do you look up or down?
“I try to look up more than I look down, by nature. But the standings say so, and we have to be careful. But playing in a stadium like that, with a crowd like that… There’s nothing better for a player. Tonight we have to try everything we can to win.”
How do you rate Leao’s season?
“We talk about Leao almost every week. His qualities are unquestionable, but his problem is that he’s had so many injuries this season that he’s never been able to perform at his best.
“He’s been sidelined for two weeks, and he’s trained with the team for the last three days. We’ve put him on the bench because he’s an important player who can make the difference during matches.”
What can you tell us about his future?
“As far as I know, he has a contract for another two years. He’s a very important player for Milan.”
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ALLEGRI IS A STONE HEAD. RESET THE MILAN PLAYERS AND REPLACE CARDINALE AND CHANGE THE MANAGEMENT. ALLEGRI IS ALREADY THE COACH OF THE ITALIAN NATIONAL TEAM. MILAN FAILED TO ENTER THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE ZONE THIS YEAR. IT’S USELESS TO HAVE COACHES OF ALLEGRI’S OR CONTE’S CLASS, IF THE OWNERS ARE STILL CARDINALE, FURLANI, AND THEY. SELL MILAN TO A SAUDI ARABIAN BUSINESSMAN AND RESET ITS STAR PLAYERS LIKE LEAO, PULISIC AND ALL THEM