BONERA: "WE HAVE TO SEIZE THIS OPPORTUNITY"

After sitting in the AC Milan dugout against Napoli and Lille, Daniele Bonera is preparing to take charge of the squad for the third time. On Sunday, the visitors to San Siro will be Fiorentina, who will undoubtedly be tough opponents. Bonera held a press conference at Milanello on the eve of this important match. Here's what he had to say:

AC MILAN V FIORENTINA
“It’ll be a difficult match, also because we’ll be playing after an away match in the Europa League. AC Milan v Fiorentina has always been a fascinating fixture, and while they’re not going through the best of spells, they do have quality. We need to show maximum respect. We’re doing well as we head into the game, and we’re aware that we’ve got a good opportunity to take another important step on our path as we look to get back to winning ways at San Siro.”

SPIRIT AND APPLICATION
“We want to remain as high as we possibly can, and we must never be lacking in terms of our willingness to make sacrifices and our application. We know that we’re a strong group. Against Verona, for example, we never became uncertain and did very well, despite the fact we only picked up a draw. We needed to rest, and the international break helped in this regard.”

THE DEFENCE
“We did well in France, it’s a shame about the small error that resulted in them equalising. Irrespective of who plays, we’re trying to pass on the same message when it comes to application and focus. There are always aspects that can be improved. For example, we didn’t defend dead-ball situations particularly well in Naples, like when Di Lorenzo hit the bar and when we conceded following a throw-in.”

EXPERIENCE ON THE BENCH
“I'm waiting for Pioli's return, hopefully he'll be back soon. It was an unexpected experience and I still need some more practice. In the meantime, I'm making the most of the Coach’s advice.”

THE AC MILAN TEAMS OF 2010 AND 2020: ANY SIMILARITIES?
“Well, both teams won in Naples! As was the case back then, I can see a great team spirit, as well as unity and a desire to be at Milanello. There are similarities between the two right now.”

INDIVIDUAL PLAYERS
“Ibrahimović is in good spirits, and this makes us hopeful of a quick recovery for him as soon as possible. We’re happy with the impact that the new young buys like Díaz, Hauge and Tonali have had. Sandro has joined a different Club: he is developing and can become an important player in this team. Brahim has great technique, quality and vision, he could be in the starting eleven tomorrow. Çalhanoğlu always makes a valuable contribution on the pitch and so we’re satisfied with him. Rebić has been affected by the problem with his elbow, he’s not 100% ready yet but we’ve already seen positive signs against Lille. Romagnoli was available for the clash against Lille, but we chose not to bring him on with his recent injury in mind. Leão had a check-up this morning and the doctors are fairly satisfied with his progress, they’ll continue to monitor his recovery every day. Hernández is very strong, he works best in space but is a very capable player. Castillejo played well in France, he gave us balance. Saelemaekers has made great progress so far.”

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