AC Milan's head coach, Stefano Pioli, has spoken to the media in a press conference today to talk about the coming fixture against Juventus at the San Siro.
Tomorrow's match starts with emotion, from teams aspiring to win the championship?
"Absolutely yes, it's still the big match: Milan-Juve. They are in third place. The battle for the title, for now, involves four teams. For us, it's important to build on the good things we've been doing and improve what can be improved. The opponents are a team built to win."
On changes and injuries, Pioli commented:
"We've left behind what happened until yesterday, we don't think about what will happen beyond: maximum focus for tomorrow. I will make my evaluations. We recover Krunic, we recover Kalulu, unfortunately, it hasn't been a very fortunate period because we lost Chukwu and Sportiello. We won't recover Loftus because he's healed from the muscle injury he had but he's not yet 100% ready to join us. I hope to be able to recover him in the upcoming matches."
How much trust is there in Antonio Mirante?
"The utmost trust in Antonio. He's an experienced and reliable goalkeeper, fully committed to what we're doing. He's highly regarded by his teammates for his technical and moral qualities. There's no need to say much to such an experienced player who's ready to play his match tomorrow."
Exchanges with Allegri from a distance:
"I don't think Allegri took offense at my predictions. It's evident that preparing for one match per week is an advantage. It's not a guarantee of victory, but it's an advantage."
How important is this match? Do you expect goals from Olivier Giroud and Rafael Leao? Pioli answered:
"It wouldn't be important just to send Juventus 7 points behind, with 29 matches left, you know how many points can be recovered? It would be important for our journey and the consistency of our performances. It's important for our confidence. Giroud and Leao are very strong, if we win with goals from other players, that's just as good."
Does the way of playing change with Antonio Mirante? Pioli said:
"No, Antonio knows how to read situations and spaces. We should be good at providing him with the right solutions and understanding the attitude Juventus will have. Antonio is ready to build from the back and read the situation."
Who can play on the right after Samuel Chukwueze's injury?
"The most suitable alternative is definitely Romero, who is doing very well. I'll be very happy if he gets some playing time in these matches considering how he's been training, the quality and intensity he puts into his work. I'm very calm, if Pulisic needs some recovery or minutes, then Romero is certainly ready. Musah could also play there, with different characteristics. Okafor a bit less: it's true he can play on the wing, but he prefers the left side. We have pairs, I feel protected in all positions."
On the betting scandal, Pioli offered this comment:
"We were surprised and shocked by this situation. I know things through what you write, there are no official situations yet. It's clear that our thoughts go to Sandro, who was our player until recently. I don't want to judge him for what he may have done. I would like to judge him for how he manages to overcome this moment, for the desire he will have to turn this negative situation into something positive for him, and maybe he can become an example. If I loved Sandro 10, now I love him 100. I will always be by his side and try to help him, I don't feel like saying anything else at this moment."
Juventus' strength is in set pieces:
"It's a situation we've considered a lot in the preparation for the match. If we lose a little in centimeters, it means you have to be even more attentive and organized. We'll try to be very careful not to be surprised."
Is it a misconception that Leao doesn't defend?
"I've always thought that Rafa is a player happy to have a coach like me, and now I think so even more", said Pioli.
There's talk of Juventus with a "heavy" attacking pair:
"I think it would change something for them and also for us. Football is a game of oppositions. If they were to play with two center-forwards like Milik and Vlahovic, they will be a bit more central and probably keep the defense tighter to then go wide. We've prepared for both situations. We have to be precise with the ball and very compact when we don't have it."
De Laurentiis said that clubs should not be obligated to release players for friendlies with national teams. In Milan's case, breaks don't always help. In September, Kalulu didn't go with the national team and got injured. In October, Sportiello didn't go and got injured...
"We'll try to have them called up for the national team... (laughs). Luck exists and doesn't exist, since the beginning of the year, we've only had 4 muscular injuries, and if we continue like this, the average would be exceptional. During breaks, one works with the hope of providing more continuity, but in this case, it didn't go in the right direction."
Do you expect an aggressive or defensive Juventus?
"Our players have to be good at understanding the situations. It's not a given that Juventus won't have a defensive phase of aggression, it's a different Juventus. We have the friendly in Los Angeles as a small reference, they weren't defensive at all there. We're prepared for both situations. We'll have to manage the ball well, they're strong physically and in counterattacks. It's a game to be played with technical cleanliness and tactical intelligence", said Pioli.
Federico Chiesa blossomed with you at Fiorentina...
"It was Paulo Sousa who launched him, and then I coached him for almost two years. He has an incredible acceleration and an important finish: if he plays, it changes the dynamics of Juventus' game. He's not a true striker, he's a second striker who prefers to drift to the left. We've prepared defensive situations with and without Chiesa. But matches are not won or lost with a single player. We have to be a team as a collective, with quality, spirit, and intensity."
Yacine Adli sang a Curva Sud chant recently:
"I like it when players identify so much. He's an artist off the field too. He plays the piano well, he sings. Sometimes he delighted us in the time we spend together, but now he has to delight us on the field."
What do you like most and least?
"He has great will and intelligence, he knows how to position himself well on the field. He has to understand what position he's playing, take fewer risks. He provides important vertical passes, he has to keep doing what he's doing in training and in the match, knowing that the position he occupies on the field is very important for both phases of the game."
On Yacine Adli again, Pioli said these words:
"He can be a player who has a present and future. He wanted to stay determined within our path, so I wish him to stay with us for as long as possible. With the way he's behaving, with the qualities he has, he deserves everything he's achieving. I'm sure he has plenty of room for growth in a new position for him. Continuing with this desire to improve, to see what other players in his position do, how they behave... He can have a great future."
The other night I was watching the movie 'Notte prima degli Esami' for the umpteenth time. Professor Martinelli said to one of his students: 'It doesn't matter what you find at the end of the finish line, but what you feel when you reach the finish line.' In football, it's important to reach the finish line, but what are you feeling in this race in red and black?
"A lot of emotions and a lot of pride in working with a group of players like this, with a club that has always supported me, especially in difficult moments, and with a fanbase that is unmatched."
On set pieces again:
"Set pieces have always been important situations. We've worked on them and we believe we can be effective."
