Stefano Pioli gave his statements during the press conference ahead of Milan - Torino, Serie A game, matchday 17 at the San Siro, and those are his words:
"In a complicated season there are situations that can be tricky. We have some difficulties but it is useless to waste energy on things that we cannot control, but we look to find solutions. The team is doing well now."
"Torino? They are an opponent who had initial difficulties but it is normal with a coach who brings new concepts. They are going through a positive moment, they have conviction and are to be respected."
"The way I handled the defeat against Juventus was the same way as we managed the victories, there was no need for my intervention to raise the morale of the players. They know they played a fair game and have to think about the next games. There is this awareness of our qualities and belief in our means."
"Bennacer and Saelemaekers' return? In our plans and those of the staff they can return to Cagliari. They are fine but they have not forced the pace."
"Ibra? He carried out his recovery program, he did some work but I don't think he can be available tomorrow."
"Tomorrow we will have to work hard and sacrifice. If two more defections were to be added we would have many absences. We must resist, we must do well. If there were 7/8/9 players missing tomorrow it would be normal to go into difficulty, but soon players will return and we can increase the squad rotations."
"We have the qualities to do well, the opponents will have great motivation but we too will have many motivations."
"An engine issue against Juventus? There was the quality of the Juventus players and our two recent absences. Our engine is not jamming. We are working hard to try to improve."
How is the team doing mentally?
"Most of the players asked me to review the images in order to be more dangerous and suffer less. To show the team's desire and concentration, a great desire to put in a convincing performance immediately."
What will be done in the mercato?
"There is great sharing with the technical area and ownership, I believe we will do something, we must not be rushed, we will do it when and if there is a chance."
What worries you the most about tomorrow's game against Torino?
"We have done everything to prepare ourselves as best as possible, we face a team that is doing well, we must put on the best performance without worries. I'm sure that tomorrow I will see the players very determined and attentive"
Can Simakan improve Milan's squad?
"I have no comment to make, I comment on the players I'm coaching."
Calhanoglu has not renewed his contract yet...
"I think there is the will of the owners to renew the expiring contracts, there is a negotiation. I'm here to wait, but the positive thing is that there is the will on both sides. and serene."
How do you judge Leao's match against Juventus?
"He played an excellent game, he put pressure on his opponents constantly with intensity. He did it also against Benevento. He's that player there, he worked hard for the team. You can expect this kind of performance from him."
How was Calabria in the midfield for you?
"Davide is an intelligent player. He contributed well on the pitch. In his role he is putting on increasingly high level performances. In case of need he can do well again in midfield."
How are Kjaer and Calhanoglu's conditions?
"Kjaer came out a bit tired, today he trained with the team. Tomorrow's training will be decisive. Calha couldn't train today, we'll see tomorrow."
Hauge and Diaz, should they grow further in personality?
"They have personality and they have already shown it. They can make the winning game, they have the qualities. They must continue to grow, we are the youngest team in Italy and perhaps in Europe, we need to give the players time to find the balance. They have the right qualities to be important players."
"We feel strong, the boys are showing it with their everyday attitude but also in matches. We had a scoring opportunity even in the last minutes against Juventus. The boys believe in it and do well."
How important is the return of Ibra?
"We are waiting for all the returns. We need the qualities of the players, the presence of Ibra increases our personality and strength. His return will give us even more strength but the boys are always proving to be a team."
How do you find the belief?
"Leaving the field with the awareness of having reached a high level. Being first gives us conviction but now it is of little use, let's focus on winning as many games as possible from here to the end."
Is further growth expected from Leao?
"He played against Benevento and Juventus for all 90 minutes. Attackers also depend on the work of their teammates. From this point of view he is growing and I expect this growth to keep going since he still has a lot of room to improve."
