Mister Stefano Pioli spoke to DAZN at the end of Milan-Lecce 3-0. Here are his statements.
Is Milan unpredictable?
"We try with positions that we prepare to put doubts in the opposing defensive phase, we succeed because of the quality of my offensive players. We are doing well, we played the game we wanted to play. Now great attention and concentration for the first leg match in the Europa League quarter-finals, we have to prepare ourselves as best as possible."
The initial approach... Pioli said:
"It's part of the mentality of my group. It's not difficult to find these motivations, it hasn't been always a positive season, we suffered for a certain period, we tried to isolate ourselves but inside we felt this suffering. When a team suffers so much but doesn't give up and remains compact, in terms of believing in what we were doing, now that it's doing well the players know it and recognize it. We must necessarily be so motivated, this period will say a lot about the season."
Today you reconquered San Siro? Pioli answered:
"I must say that we suffered and along with us our fans did, but what they did in difficult moments, namely coming with great enthusiasm, with so much suffering and filling San Siro, has never been lacking. It's a great credit to this environment, we must try to take advantage of this enthusiasm. The next month and a half will be important. Now only the next one counts, judgments change quickly. We have a big goal, we want to be as competitive as possible in both competitions, finishing second in the league and reaching the bottom of the Europa League would be important. It's our goal, our motivation and we have to commit ourselves a lot."
How does Pioli manage to be so balanced? How much do you like your group?
"A lot. When I talk about the group, I'm not only talking about the players, but also about the club, the managers, the coaching staff, the players, the people who work at Milanello. It's difficult to find an environment so attentive, professional, positive even when everything seems to go wrong and suddenly we've become losers. Inside Milanello we never stopped believing in what we do, we never stopped believing in the players and they never stopped believing in us, the club has always supported us. You don't get out of difficulties by chance, just as we had negative results not by bad luck but because we failed to maintain a certain level of performance. A symbiosis has formed between old and new players... And even many old players who could lose enthusiasm, because after many years it's not easy, they've always decreased in this job, in this reality. It's nice to coach this group, it's nice to coach at Milanello. Then results count, difficult matches await us. We had never won the fifth game in a row, now we'll try to win the sixth, but now we'll try as we did in the other rounds, even though Roma is of a higher level than Slavia Prague and Rennes, we'll try to take some advantage because we'll play the first leg in front of our fans."
Has Milan regained balance?
"We have data that tells us that in the first 4 months our defensive phase was mid-table and we survived with the offensive phase. It wasn't just a matter of some injuries, but a more careful pressure was needed, better recoveries, midfield contrasts, more careful marking of opponent's runs... I think many of our improvements come from our defensive phase. The defensive phase depends a lot on willingness, sacrifice, communication... The offensive phase doesn't depend on the coach's skill but on the players' skill. While the defensive phase depends on spirit, sacrifice, extra running, recoveries that Pulisic, Chukwueze, Leao now do... We must insist on these things."
Did you expect to bring a player like Pulisic to Milan?
"I must say that when I have video meetings to explain to a player what our path and our ideas are, I hardly ever mistake personal and character feelings. Pulisic is a quality player, I already knew him. But when we talked 2-3 times I felt something very positive. I saw in him willingness, curiosity. I found everything I had heard. He's not a guy who opens up a lot, he's not the one who makes the difference but the attitudes. He has fantastic attitudes, for the team and for everyone. A worker and an exemplary professional like all the Milan players, this has raised the level of professionalism, seriousness that will help the group become stronger and stronger. Then sometimes the results come, sometimes not... Between ins and outs we changed more than 20 players, it wasn't easy. Is it the Milan I hoped for? We're close. Now if we're doing well we have to raise the level, now there are matches where the level must be very high."
