On the occasion of the match against Rennes in the round of 32 of the Europa League competition at San Siro, AC Milan coach Stefano Pioli has spoken to the media. Here are his words:
"European level matches are always difficult. Rennes? We have had plenty of time to study them. A well-organised team, fast, vertical, with quality. A team to face with great care."
What kind competition is this Europa League for you?
"It is a very important competition. The Champions League is obviously a step above. If we look at who participates, it's not just Bayer Leverkusen, there is also Liverpool and other important teams. The fact that Milan has never won the Europa League is an extra motivation, even though we can't look that far ahead. We are in good shape, and so are they. Tomorrow's game is already important."
What does Milan need for this dream? What remains from the Champions League group stage? Pioli replied:
"From that night in Newcastle, there is definitely the disappointment of being eliminated from the Champions League. But then we couldn't not have a goal; we had to put all our motivations into this competition. We come from four years where many of us were debutants in Europe at the beginning. Now, on the other hand, we have made the journey. In European competitions, you have to be at your best on that particular night. The league is won by whoever is the most consistent, in Europe in that one match, you have to perform at your maximum, and that's what we want to try to do tomorrow night."
The importance of passing this playoff and to which Italian team can Rennes be compared?
"It is very important. We want to have ambitions, we want to go all the way. We are very focused, and I believe we have prepared it with the right attention. For a comparison and a confrontation with some Italian team, believe me, it is too important to play the match. I have an idea, we have formed one, we have talked with Matteo who has played against them. But only after facing them on the field can I tell you the level. A very good team, certainly, yes, the French league is different from the Italian one, very fast and with a lot of technique. It is an opponent to be faced with a lot of attention."
What are the favorite teams and where do you place Milan? Pioli said:
"I say that before placing Milan, let's pass this round, then I'll tell you where we could be. Bayer Leverkusen, Liverpool, and Atalanta are the favorite teams."
What ending does Pioli imagine for the Milan movie?
"Films are often judged based on the quality of the second half; I hope the quality of our time is of a high level to make it a very positive season."
A thought on Brahim Diaz' words:
"He is a guy we all got along very well with, he gave a lot to the team and we tried to give back to him. A very good guy, he scored an incredible goal and I hope he didn't get too hurt from yesterday's injury. I'm very pleased that he's doing well."
Who are the most dangerous players from Rennes?
"I made the mistake once of saying who the most dangerous players are, and then we were punished; I won't even mention a name. But I know all the Rennes players, we have a clear idea. It is a team with some good qualities and they play good football."
Can having played a great game against PSG be a good omen? Pioli replied:
"Difficult. With PSG, it was a great game. I believe that tomorrow will be a completely different game; the way Rennes plays on the field is different from PSG."
How difficult is it to make offensive choices, leaving out Noah Okafor?
"Certainly, it's difficult, everyone is doing very well. We start with 3 players, now Chukwueze is back too, he won't be called up tomorrow but I hope he can be available for the Monza match. It's difficult but at the same time it's easier because I can afford to make some mistakes because then on the bench I have players who can change the game. Now we're back to playing a lot, I hope we'll play a lot, from here to the end and so everyone will be involved. Only in these 5 matches in 15 days it becomes difficult to think that many can play all 90 minutes."
The journey of this Milan in the cup is like that of 2007. How important is it to be well placed in the league to aim for the Europa League?
"It's not my assessment. We have to take care and pay attention to both competitions, because we can continue to do very well in the league. I don't know where we'll end up in terms of ranking but I know where we want to get in terms of points. There are 14 matches left, many points available. We also want to progress in Europe. It will be stimulating, not easy, but I'll try to field the best lineup possible every time. Maybe tomorrow it won't be the same as last Sunday, but it's the best for tomorrow. In Monza, I'll put out the best lineup also based on fatigue and rotation."
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