The AC Milan head coach, Stefano Pioli, has spoken to the media in a press conference today. First, he talked about the memories of the late Sinisa Mihajlovic and also Gigi Riva. Here are his words:
"It is impossible not to remember Sinisa, a coach and a person who is missed by the entire environment, just like a person of another era and value like Gigi Riva will be missed."
On Jannik Sinner, would you want your team to have his traits too?
"I watched the game, I am fortunate to go to bed early and wake up early. He did something incredible, beating the number one as he did... In these years, in our journey, we have shown that we can work in a certain way and have the right mentality to try to move up a level. In that, I believe we resemble Jannik. He is at the top in the world, and we are working to get there."
From the outside, it seems that the wind has changed in favor of Pioli...
"I believe the team is going through a good moment and is in a good mental state. We are mentally well because we have won some games. We should only think about tomorrow's match; our future must be tomorrow's game. I live it like yesterday. Today I prepared for the game, tried to motivate the boys; we know how important it is to do well in the second half of the season. Tomorrow is difficult, Bologna plays excellent football. We have prepared to put on a performance worthy of our qualities."
On Rafael Leao's performances:
"This story has been going on for too long, and I believe it's not true. If we have scored much more than last year and are the second-best attack in the league within these figures, Rafa is a big part of it. He is a reference point for us and for opposing defenses, offering many solutions, serving great passes. He is one of the players in Serie A who provides the most assists. I love Rafa for his way of being; he is an artist. He is a genius, but he listens. That's the important thing."
Let's go back to the events in Udine... Pioli said:
"Congratulations to Udinese Calcio for how they behaved and handled the situation. There must be certainty of punishment for those who do such things; these episodes must be erased. Everything that was done towards Mike, even by our club, must be pursued because it is time to act firmly. I found Mike calm, strong, proud of the support received from around the world and the football community. He has worked very well."
Does Milan need to improve defensively? Pioli said:
"We must continue with our style of play, which is to defend by controlling the game more; we don't have to force too many plays. We always seek the winning move even when there are no solutions and space to find it. I believe we will never be a team so solid without the ball, but we can be with the ball. And that is very important."
Inzaghi and Allegri put Milan in the title race:
"They are very good, at the moment we are not in that discussion. We are thinking of our results and thinking match by match."
Olivier Giroud said that he spoke to you during the storm. In your opinion, has the storm passed or not?
"No, because we live for results. I know very well how these situations go. We are committed to thinking about getting a result in tomorrow's match. In a season, there are ups and downs; very few teams in the world can afford drops in performance and condition. We are very attentive and focused on tomorrow and trying to win the game."
Jurgen Klopp is leaves Liverpool after 9 years. Do you think there is a period of time within which one thinks they need to change to find enthusiasm, or is it something that has no time frame?
"Difficult to say, I would like to experience this situation (laughs). Reaching 9, 10, 11 years at a club and then saying, 'Maybe it's time to change.' Of course, it's a very intense and demanding job. 9 years is really a lot; Guardiola is doing the same. Ferguson did even more... Each of us has to live according to our own emotions and motivations and then decide based on what we feel."
What is changing in Luka Jovic? Pioli answered:
"There are two important numbers in our season that we need to emphasize. I believe we are the team that scores the most in the first half, which means an excellent approach to matches. And perhaps also the team that has had the most goals from substitutes, so it means availability and participation from all players. We absolutely must continue like this. Now, with the 5 substitutions, matches can be changed. This attitude of availability must be our strength. Jovic has changed in that he is finally physically well. He is happy, calm, and doing well. I have never had doubts about his qualities. He is a player I rely on a lot, although probably he will start from the bench again tomorrow."
Does it help not to have the cups now? Pioli answered:
"We have to think that we can be competitive in two competitions because it is our goal, going all the way in the Europa League while maintaining a high level in the league. Although there are many examples in Italy of teams advancing in the Europa League and then struggling in the league... We want to try to be an exception in this as well."
With a victory tomorrow, Milan would be on par with the Scudetto year...
"It would be very significant to extend our positive streak and reach 5 consecutive victories, which we have never achieved. There are many motivations to face with determination and concentration."
Bologna is one of the revelations of the season... What do you think of Joshua Zirkzee? Pioli said:
"He is a young player I followed in the past at Bayern and then when he went to play at Parma. Now he is much more complete, more involved in the game, with great technical quality. He will be highly regarded by our defensive phase. He is a player on whom Bologna relies a lot, a strong player."
Is there a need for a physical striker besides Olivier Giroud?
"Our forwards complement Giroud well. Both Jovic and Okafor can play with Giroud. If Oli is missing, certain characteristics are missing; I don't think Jovic is very different from Giroud in terms of characteristics. He may not have the same stature, but he is very good at holding the ball and opening up play. It becomes difficult to have two players really similar in characteristics. We have managed to be dangerous both with and without Olivier."
More than the comparison with Sinner, don't you think the comparison Leao-Leclerc fits better? Talent as a natural, exceptional overtakes like dribbling, but also many criticisms because more is always expected. Does it convince you?
"Yes, but I don't think Leclerc or Leao are handling the criticisms badly. Rafa is a very important reference point for us. It's true that he is not scoring many goals in the league, but he is doing very well, always taking away two opponents, I see improvements. Then, expecting more each time is natural, perhaps too much is expected... It's not that he can always bypass two opponents and score every time."
On Filippo Terracciano:
"He is a very attentive guy who works very well in training. We are insisting on the flanks with him, he is only working as a fullback to avoid confusion. It is right that he knows a position well."
On Matteo Gabbia's return:
"He came back at a time when his serenity, because he wasn't experiencing our delicate moment, helped him integrate with the lightness that can sometimes be needed. Spain has certainly increased his knowledge. I see him very effective."
Pioli continued:
"I like the characteristics of Adli and Reijnders; they're not breakwaters, but they have other qualities. They have excellent off-the-ball positioning and complement each other well. At the moment, we don't have a breakwater because we don't want one."
Do players need to improve by training on something specific?
"Players come to my staff asking for specific drills. Rafa asks to practice curling shots because he wants to improve and enjoys curling shots, and he needs to improve. Sometimes it's me who sends them off the field because I fear there are too many training sessions. We work a lot on individual characteristics, pre and post-training."
Ruben Loftus-Cheek as a central midfielder or an attacking midfielder?
"He's working a lot; he had physical problems with 'pubalgia' that prevented him from training consistently. There's too much talk about his role; he has always played as an attacking midfielder without the ball."
How to mark Joshua Zirkzee?
"Based on how we work in defensive phases, we would like our midfielders to work hard on their midfielders, and our two center-backs on their striker."
Fear more the possession or depth of Bologna?
"Both things; they are a complete team. Especially Ferguson, as an advancing central midfielder, is always very dangerous."
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