The AC Milan head coach, Massimiliano Allegri, has spoken in a press conference to the media, as usual, ahead of tomorrow's Serie A fixture against AS Roma.
This week at Milanello, Gerry Cardinale visited. What energy did he bring?
“The owners’ visit was very welcome for everyone. This is an important moment of the season, where we are fighting for a Champions League spot. It was a nice visit, and we are very happy about it. We need to focus only on the pitch and the result. Tomorrow, we have a great game to play. We will face a team that is competing with us for a top-four spot. Gasperini is doing an excellent job, and Roma has become a team that reflects their coach on the field: aggressive, strong in both phases, and with the best defense in the league. We need to be very sharp, and know that we will face a great atmosphere, and we must play a very technical game.”
Injury updates:
“For the injuries, we will do the final training today and then assess. Saelemaekers was much better yesterday; today I will decide whether to start him. Gimenez will certainly be a valuable asset for the end of the season. Leao is still dealing with this minor issue, but he will be available. We are ready to play this long, exciting game.”
On Roma:
“Roma is no surprise. I knew that with Gasperini we would find them fighting for Champions League spots. There are four teams for three places; Inter is projected to reach 90 points. Hopefully the teams in Europe go as far as possible, which could open up five Champions spots; otherwise, one team will be left out.”
Leao’s issue:
“There is some inflammation in his adductor/pubic area. The pain is minimal, slightly uncomfortable, and he knows how it feels. We have four players for two attacking spots, so I can rotate fresh players. The last 30 minutes become decisive. In terms of application, he has grown but still needs to improve. He has talent, but he must find consistency. It is almost impossible to find a talented player who maintains performance over ninety minutes.”
Tomorrow’s attacking pair and Ricci’s role... Allegri commented:
“Regarding Ricci, I am very pleased with his development; he is very intelligent. Right now, the mezzala role suits him best. He can be vertical and shoot on goal. In the future, he could excel in front of the defense, but currently, this role fits him better. For Leao and Pulisic, minutes matter less than effectiveness and impact. Pavlovic is returning after a head knock; we’ll see if he plays tomorrow.”
Has Roma changed since the first leg?
“In terms of aggressiveness, no; in terms of attacking reference, yes. Malen is a good player and has made a strong impression. For us, the defensive approach will be different.”
On goals from corners:
“On Sunday, Gabbia had three important chances with his head; against Genoa, he immediately hit the crossbar. First, who delivers the ball matters, and the jumpers matter. Then, there are moments where precision is key. Roma is dangerous with Cristante and Mancini, so we must pay attention. There is room to improve, as when we are under pressure and need to circulate the ball.”
On other clubs preparing in the market while Milan is quiet:
“We will only know at the end of the season. Fullkrug’s immediate arrival was an excellent signing; he helped us right away. The club is working; I am very happy with the squad. Either we strengthen it, or we stay as we are. The youngsters we signed in the summer are developing. Athekame has adapted well; Odogu is improving even in training. The key is to maintain this approach and have conviction in our goal, which is a top-four finish. It is complicated; there are tough teams with coaches like Gasperini, Spalletti, and Conte, who almost always finish in the top four. We must progress step by step toward Champions League qualification. Our main aim now is to reach 50 points; then we will see.”
On Malen and Dybala, Allegri said:
“I had the pleasure of coaching Paulo; he arrived at Juve as a kid. He has extraordinary technique and is very intelligent. In the Cup, he made a pass that seemed easy, but from control to pass, it took less than half a second. He has significant quality; there are not many like him. With Malen, he can gain advantages because having a reference upfront allows him to make his plays.”
Coaches’ communication strategies:
“As for the absence of press conferences from other coaches, that doesn’t concern me, those are their decisions. Regarding my statements about the objective, it is clear. Last year, Milan did not manage to qualify for the Champions League; this year, given the team’s technical and economic value, we have to succeed in qualifying. That doesn’t mean it is owed to us, but that we have to earn it step by step. Participating in the Champions League is too important in the Italian league for a top team: the money from the Champions is needed to manage the transfer market and to have a brighter future compared to being two years out. The other day, the revenues of the top European clubs were released: the gap between Italian, English, and Spanish teams is too large. Naturally, a club, a team, must try, like Milan, to get into the Champions League. Why? Because this is Italian football, and an important injection of funds comes from the Champions. We have to take it one step at a time; the goal is to finish in the top four, and to get there, a lot of effort is required, so it is necessary to stay silent.”
Milan crosses a lot, but the technical execution is sometimes not perfect…
“That’s an unwritten rule: you have to be fast and precise in the last 30–20 meters. That’s where the difficulty lies. Up to the last 30 meters, almost everyone plays football; in the last 30 meters, you see the best players. The quality of decision-making must be improved, also through repetition of the action. Analytical technique and applied technique.”
Allegri, Is the Scudetto already Inter’s?
“With 52 points, Inter is the favorite for the Scudetto and also to finish in the top four. It’s mathematical.”
Milan has three matches in three weeks: how do you manage this period?
“More than physically, it’s about keeping focus high. We play when we are told to play, and we try to earn points, which is the most important thing. It’s certainly unusual, but there’s nothing we can do about it. We don’t waste energy on things we cannot change.”
What can be improved in this squad?
“The most important market is the summer one, and the club worked very well on both ins and outs. In January, the best players are usually kept by their teams. Then there are exceptions, like Fullkrug: the sporting director was very smart to bring him in at the start of the window. If he had arrived a week later, he would have already missed two matches. On the field, we focus on the field; the rest is handled by the club.”
How difficult is it to play away for a month?
“You just don’t think about it. You only focus on what you need to do. This started on December 28: in the nine matches until February 15, we knew we had six away games. We don’t think about that, we focus on what needs to be done, which is the most important thing.”
Is tomorrow one of the four key matches for the league?
“From now on, the key is points, not matches. You have to focus on the points you need to earn, regardless of the opponent. You must reach the total that allows you to play in the Champions League.”
The Roma, Bologna, and Pisa trio... Allegri replied:
“They are not decisive because we have already earned important points. At the same time, they are matches that matter: tomorrow is a direct clash, then Bologna is fighting for the Europa League, and Pisa is a lively team. We have time to prepare them properly (laughs).”
Tell us about when you were close to Roma:
“Let’s say I forgot everything; my memory card is full, it goes back to 2014. Before that, I don’t remember (smiles).”
When will you give us a Milan goal from a free kick?
“I hope tomorrow, I hope every Sunday. We get few free kicks near the box. We have good kickers; we need to earn more free kicks. Hopefully tomorrow.”
Quality and results:
“I believe that whoever achieves results also has quality. You can play a match and win even without quality. Football is the only sport where, in a single game, the weaker team can beat the stronger one. In the league, the best over the season wins. And to win, you need quality. You must play excellent matches. Then there are the usual dirty matches that you still have to get through.”
