Massimiliano Allegri prepares to face Lecce tomorrow in another challenging Serie A fixture. The Italian head coach has spoken to the media in a press conference.
Here are his words:
First on Rocco Commisso's passing:
"My first thought goes to the Commisso family, with my deepest condolences. Football has lost a man of sport, with great passion, who I believe did a lot of good for Fiorentina. Sincere condolences to the family."
Should we build on the Como away win tomorrow?
"Lecce comes off two very good performances: at home against Parma they were leading, and against Inter they put in a very good performance, suffering just the right amount and not excessively. They are in good physical condition. Tomorrow is very important for us because in the last three home games we had two draws and one win: we need to win at home again, especially since we will return to San Siro on February 22. Tomorrow, we need to follow up the good result from Como, otherwise what was achieved there will fall flat."
Update on player conditions and possible rotation?
"Pavlovic will most likely miss the match; until yesterday he couldn’t head the ball. Gimenez is still out. The others are more or less all fine. Tomorrow, there will be some changes because this is the fourth match in two weeks. What matters is team spirit and the desire to reach the objective, this must be clear to everyone. Even when games are played less well, the result must be achieved. It’s important to know how to read the game. We played two good matches against Genoa and Fiorentina. We must work to improve our phase of play, but we must not lose sight of our clear objective: finishing in the top four to return to the Champions League."
Was Como a turning point in the season?
"It was an important match, especially to stay close to the top-four race. After tomorrow, we have three away games, completing a period of three home matches and six away. Tomorrow, we need a win, playing a good game with great respect for Lecce," as relayed via Milan News.
Result-focused or play-focused?
"The other day, it was a good game played by two teams that interpreted it differently. We had Maignan making key saves, and we achieved a result that was important for us."
Tomorrow, the first thing to improve is converting chances?
"Everything can and must be improved. Tomorrow we must face Lecce with the right attention, both with and without the ball. They have technical and fast players up front. We need order, patience, compactness, and efficiency."
What is the gap with Inter and Napoli? Allegri commented:
"It’s a matter of the last few years: Inter has always won or finished second, and Napoli has won the Scudetto in the last three years. Milan changed 55% of its players this year, mixing experienced players with younger ones. Milan’s future depends on the final result, finishing in the top four. Italian football does not allow a high-level team to remain economically outside the top four. We have a responsibility, beyond playing well and entertaining, which is to achieve a priority objective."
What changes will there be?
"I don’t even know yet. Today I’ll see the team. We’ll see who has recovered, how Leao is feeling, because he was decisive, and as soon as the discomfort in his adductor goes away, he will and must do much better. Fullkrug did very well. Today I have to understand who is fit and available, in the best physical condition. The changes will be important, at Como they became decisive, not because I guess them, but because the players put themselves at the service of their teammates. It’s a signal we need to keep: the players are all focused on the final objective."
Can Camarda become at Milan what Pio Esposito is at Inter?
"He’s at Lecce. He’s not with us. I believe Milan, from what I’ve seen this year, has players like Camarda, Bartesaghi, Comotto, who come from the youth sector, have Serie A and B experience, and can be part of Milan’s future squad. Milan has always produced good players, but you need patience, give them playing time, and choose the right path. The club did well to send them to play."
Where does Fofana fit into your project?
"He’s doing well. He’s a guy who works hard and puts himself at the service of the team like everyone else. There are moments when things go less well, but if he always serves the team, that’s the most important thing."
Is Maignan the best goalkeeper in the world?
"I don’t know, because I don’t know much about goalkeepers. He’s important: a captain and an international player we need to maintain a high level. The saves he makes are normal for him; it shows his level is very high."
Allegri, does it bother you to hear people talk about Milan’s luck? Any comment on Fabregas’ words?
"Luck is part of life: the more we go and seek it, the better. I think it’s disrespectful to everyone working at Milan, with whom we are achieving decent results. We must not lose sight of the final objective, knowing we need to work hard and have the humility to improve our limits. Fabregas is a young coach but has done a lot, bringing Como to a high position. He will have a very good career. And with matches, it’s difficult to talk in 'ifs.' There was a game they interpreted very well, we interpreted it better in the second half. I think it was a good game, and we scored three goals while defending well in the second half."
How satisfied are you with the team’s mental strength?
"We started a process with the players where we agreed to improve the defensive phase. We need to try to concede fewer goals, in the last three matches, we’ve conceded three, a figure that changes your position in the standings. The second half at Como was a much better performance; in the first half we were stretched, and they exploited the spaces, causing us difficulties. We also need to improve on throw-ins, where they broke out and created a goal-scoring opportunity. After the equalizer, it became a completely different match, we grew physically."
On the choice of penalty taker…
"I was lucky: I asked Nkunku to take it. Among the penalty takers is also Pulisic. On the field were Leao and Nkunku; I chose Nkunku. He didn’t strike it perfectly, but it went in."
What do you like most and what do you think can be improved?
"We definitely need to improve in ball management and building play under pressure. The most important thing is that every day we try to improve and work toward the final objective. We shouldn’t get carried away because we’re second; we must think only about tomorrow’s match. Once that is done, we think about the next one. We need to maintain continuity in results, which isn’t easy in the Italian league. This team and these players want to do that. We must work and face difficult moments with confidence. If a team is worth 7, 8, or 9 in June, it cannot be worth 5 in December just because it loses two matches, then back to 7 in June."
How important is Fullkrug? Allegri said:
"He’s important because he came despite a fractured toe: he insisted on coming, came on, and put himself at the service of the team. Players like that also lift the others during difficult moments."
Can Saelemaekers play as a fullback?
"Saelemaekers has played as a fullback at times. We also have Athekame, who came on with the right attitude."
Where will Leao go?
"Where he goes depends on him. This year he’s turning 27. It’s normal for a player like Leao to be decisive. He needs to improve his physical condition because, today, he puts himself at the team’s service but isn’t at his best."
How much has this team matured?
"We’ve improved since the start, although there have been moments where we lost solidity. At Como in the first half, we conceded many shots on goal, something that needs improving, especially because I try to put the players on the field in the best possible conditions."
Could Maignan’s renewal be a signal of ambition?
"I believe the club is ambitious and must aim to play in the Champions League and remain competitive for the top four positions. Fullkrug has arrived, and the club acted quickly to bring him in. I’m also very happy with the players we have in the squad, who are improving: if Odogu were needed, I’m sure he would deliver a solid performance. Bringing in players who aren’t necessary or don’t improve the team doesn’t make sense."
Many points recovered from a disadvantage… Allegri commented:
"Sometimes we’ll also need to take the lead… We should try to do what we did against Verona, with a smoother, more controlled match. Right now, Lecce’s results don’t reflect the performances they’ve been putting in: against Inter, in running patterns and defensive phases, they were very, very good."
How important is it not to be frantic?
"If we get frantic, we also become more vulnerable defensively: it will require great technique, quick passing, and a defensive approach that guarantees the result."
Among all the teams you’ve coached, how will you remember this one?
"I hope I remember it for a long time, much later. That said, I’ve been fortunate to coach great players, good players, but above all great groups that became great teams and achieved the big results we aimed for. I feel very connected to everyone I’ve worked with: the beauty of this sport and this job is that today we are seventy people, players and staff, experiencing a season with great intensity. We need everyone, even the chefs who feed us well. We reach our goal together."
