Empoli head coach, Roberto D'Aversa, spoke at a press conference ahead of tomorrow's match against Milan:
How is the team doing?
"Zurkowski is not among the players called up, nor is De Sciglio. The three who returned the other day have been working to improve their physical condition. For instance, we accelerated Anjorin's recovery. Among those called up are also Primavera players in addition to those who regularly train with us. We are in an emergency situation, especially in midfield, so we need to evaluate both tomorrow's match and the upcoming ones. The players' match fitness has improved, but they are not yet ready for ninety minutes. Therefore, I’ll make my final decisions at the last moment."
Tomorrow’s game speaks for itself, but will this Empoli try to give it a shot? D'Aversa replied:
"We must aim to leave San Siro with a positive result. The team needs to be determined and focused. Most importantly, we need to be proactive and show personality when we have the ball. Even if we give 100%, it might not be enough, but we must not have any regrets against such a strong team. On paper, Milan is stronger than us, but the beauty of football is that on the pitch, you can compete even against superior opponents. We need to go there with courage."
What do you think of Rafael Leao?
"Leao is an exceptional player. I can offer an opinion, but I can't comment on the dynamics of another team. Naturally, there are high expectations for him; he has significant qualities and could perhaps be even more decisive. Of course, I hope he saves that for the next round. Ultimately, to truly evaluate players, you have to work with them in training", said Empoli coach Roberto D'Aversa.
