PIOLI: "WE HAVE TO EXCEL IN EVERYTHING WE DO"

The convincing win in Rome is already behind us and the focus of the team is aimed exclusively at tomorrow's game. League leaders Juventus are set to arrive at San Siro, and the Rossoneri want to maintain their excellent progress from the start of 2020. Live from Milanello, Coach Stefano Pioli previewed the match against the Bianconeri. 

THE RECIPE REQUIRED TO BEAT JUVENTUS
“Playing fixtures in close succession takes it out of you, but the motivation we have and the good spell we’re going through will help us perform the best we can. We need to excel in everything against Juventus because we’ll be facing the best, they’ve shown their superiority in terms of quality and mentality for years now. If we want to win the match, we need to excel in all phases and perform at a very high standard.”

PIOLI’S AC MILAN
“I’m increasingly getting the impression that this is my team. In the past, we weren’t always able to show the consistency and precision that we’ve been displaying over the last few matches. There were some positive moments previously, but now we’re implementing what we work on during the week on a more consistent basis.”

IBRA
“I hope to give him more minutes on the pitch and to see his performances get increasingly better. He hadn’t played since 8 March, and he made his return in Ferrara during a particularly delicate phase of the match. When it comes to the mental side of things and the impact of his presence on the pitch, he’s undoubtedly the strongest player I’ve coached. And this is something that is perceived just as much by his opponents as his teammates.”

ÇALHANOĞLU’S CONDITION
“We’ll assess Hakan’s condition, he had a problem with his calf in Rome. Our final training sessions will tell us what we need to know, with this applying to him and the rest of the team too. I hope to have him available to me.”

KESSIE, THEO AND BENNACER
“Franck Kessie is a very important player, he has the quality to put in these kinds of performances. He hasn’t always shown the consistency that I’d expect from someone like him. At the moment, he’s remaining focused, performing consistently, is always involved in the game and is lending a big hand. He’s improving from a physical point of view and doesn’t seem to be struggling. It’s clear that Theo is more a more attack-minded player, but we’re working on his defensive game a lot and taking great care in doing so. He knows that he could become one of the best players in the world in his position, but tomorrow evening he’ll have to be particularly attentive. Isma has important characteristics that can help the team. At the moment, he’s benefitting a lot from playing alongside Kessie: this is allowing him to be more composed and precise in his play. He’s steadily developing and can only improve, also because of the commitment and determination that he shows.”

SAELEMAEKERS: A REVELATION
“Alexis needs to carry on performing in this manner, it’s only natural that a player like him needed a bit of time to adapt: he played in a different league before coming here.”

PIOLI’S FUTURE
“I’m not thinking about 3 August at this current time. Personally, I want to feel the satisfaction of having given everything to a prestigious Club like AC Milan alongside my players and staff. Given the effort and commitment we’ve displayed, all of us deserve to finish the league campaign well together.”

REBIĆ AND HIS ATTITUDE
“At this point of the season, I think it’s crucial to make everyone feel important. Ante’s attitude is crucial, both when he plays as a starter and when he comes on as a substitute. We’ve gained ground in the league but still aren’t satisfied with the situation we find ourselves in. We have an obligation to give everything until the end of the season, and Rebić needs to lead the way for his teammates with his attitude.”

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