Speaking to the different media outlets today in a press conference before the derby is Stefano Pioli. Here are his words as he presents the derby challenge:
Are you only thinking about tomorrow's match?
"Definitely. We both started well, us and them. We want to keep it up."
Are you curious to see how the new AC Milan will face the derby?
"I was curious before the first league match. Now I'm convinced about how the team has prepared and how they will face the game. We've prepared it in detail."
Is Olivier Giroud the new Zlatan Ibrahimovic in the locker room?
"There's only one Ibra. It's the team that has grown, it's clear that there are players with personality like Giroud, but fortunately, our journey has allowed young players to mature."
Has the gap with Inter been closed?
"I don't care about the last derbies, I only care about tomorrow. Otherwise, we could talk about the Scudetto won and not won by Inter. The only thing that matters is putting the solutions on the field to play our game."
How is Simon Kjaer? Pioli responded:
"Kjaer is doing very well and he's ready to play such an important match."
In the national team, Inter players have scored a lot...
"We always have to be cautious. Inter played on par with City, but we will try to do better than them."
What approach do you need to have?
"The next match is always an opportunity to show our quality. My players need to think that. If we are stronger, the field will say it. Tomorrow, the train will pass through one station, but there will be many more. We are only at the beginning, I like how we're working, tomorrow we will leave the field even stronger because there will be good things or not so good things to work on."
What is the strength of Milan and Inter?
"I'll tell you tomorrow after the match. It will take a high-level match because to win the derby, you have to play well."
What do you want to see and what do you not want to see? Pioli said:
"I want to see Milan, I want to see what we have prepared. We will have the right approach to do well. We are not afraid of anything."
What do you want to see and what don't you want to see?
"I want to see Milan, I want to see what we have prepared. We will have the right approach to do well. We are not afraid of anything."
In the recent derbies, you didn't start well... Pioli answered:
"I haven't looked at past derbies, only our games and theirs from this season."
Is there anyone who can hurt Inter?
"No, we thought about bringing in players to help the team grow. I am grateful to the club for the team we have built."
How is Leao doing? Pioli said:
"He has grown a lot, he is becoming a dominant and decisive player. And he will have to be the same tomorrow."
What do you think of Cardinale's words?
"We are pleased with his interest. He has to help everyone grow. I also spoke to him in person about last year's match against Chelsea. So far we have shown something good,
How are you managing your squad?"
"Now I'll have to manage the players' performances very well, considering the many matches in 21 days. We're now only focused on the derby, and then from Sunday on to Newcastle."
Who feels the derby more? Pioli responded in the following way:
"I've seen great attention and calmness, especially among the new players. I don't know if it's because they don't know what awaits us tomorrow, but I see a calm and smiling team, and I believe it's the right way to approach these matches. Once they get to San Siro, they'll understand what the derby is. Nevertheless, we're talking about people who have already experienced matches of this kind in their careers."
Is Inter more aware than Milan in recent derbies?
"None of us is thinking about last year's derbies; we're only focused on winning tomorrow's. We've prepared well, and at the end of the match, I can say whether we were better. We're approaching the game with the right carefreeness."
What are your impressions about Marco Pellegrino?
"Marco is a careful, disciplined, and aggressive defender. He needs time to understand certain things, he used to play in a three-man defense. He can also play as a left-back, I've tried him out in these days."
What kind of Milan will we see tomorrow? Pioli said:
"We have to play like Milan, we have to put our best performance on the field. Tomorrow the real season begins and we want to be protagonists."
Is the team playing with less frenzy?
"It has to be like this. We want to control the game more and understand the moments of the match. We want to become a more dominant team within the game. We have to keep possession more than the opponents this year."
Will it be a waiting game? Pioli said:
"Both teams can do well on counterattacks, that's why we have to manage the ball as best as we can."
Inter put us in difficulty with counterattacks and set pieces...
"These are important situations. We've prepared for everything."
