PIOLI: "CONSISTENCY IS NEEDED"

The championship never stops! Last Sunday we hosted Sassuolo at San Siro, on Wednesday we played Genoa at the Marassi and tomorrow, Saturday 3 December at 15:00 CET, it will already be time for AC Milan v Salernitana. On the eve of matchday 16 in Serie A, Coach Pioli held his usual press conference at Milanello. Here's what he had to say ahead of tomorrow's San Siro game:

AC MILAN v SALERNITANA
"Tomorrow’s game is important in terms of gaining consistency. We got it wrong against Sassuolo but got back to our standards in Genoa. We now need to carry on in this manner. We’ll be up against a tough team who make things difficult when they’re out of possession and who wait for their moment to attack. We’ll need to produce a high-quality performance. Tomorrow, we’ll have a very good chance of winning if we perform well defensively and move the ball quickly. We need to win to gain consistency and show that we’re strong. I have great memories of working at Salernitana, it was my first experience as a first-team coach."

HIGH TEMPO
"We’re used to playing many games in a short space of time. There’s never a lot of time, but we’ve had the chance to recuperate, study our opponents and prepare well. Organising the calendar in a different way is difficult, but it’s clear that we play too much. None of us are already thinking about Liverpool. There are 20 days left until the winter break and four important matches await. Right now, we’re only focusing on Salernitana as we look to maintain our high position in the league."

THE TEAM
"There are teams that can afford to sit back. We, however, always need to go at full pelt. And to go at full pelt, the right condition and intensity are required on both a physical and mental level, with there being a requirement to win the ball back as soon as possible. Everyone is a starter, I make my selections but they depend on the players’ performances. Changes are often talked about, but, for me, they’re all starters and they’re all strong, but it’s normal to give someone a break every now and then."

KJÆR’S INJURY
"There’s deep dismay. We know the value of the player and, above all, his qualities on a human level. Simon is a vital part of our changing room in terms of intelligence and charisma and we’re all very close to him. We’re worried about the injury but know that he’ll overcome this problem because he’s strong. If it’s confirmed that he’ll be out for a long time, the Club might have to act in the January transfer window to improve the team."

INJURY UPDATE
"Bennacer has recovered and trained with the group today after a few complicated days. Giroud, Calabria and Rebić’s conditions are improving. The player who has been out but is closest to returning is Castillejo."

INDIVIDUALS
"Leão is continuing to grow, but he still needs to improve in terms of conviction when attacking the opposition goal. Pellegri is doing fine, as is Ibra. Kalulu is constantly growing, and this is clear to see. He always plays with character but still has great room for improvement. His positioning is one example of where he could grow, something which is vital for a defender. He can also play as a full-back and in the centre, which makes him very useful for us. Messias and Saelemaekers possess different characteristics, but both like to move between the lines. Díaz needs to add precision and quality to his game, he needs to be more dangerous. Messias and Díaz would be a good attacking duo: they wouldn’t give the opponents any reference points and would be able to attack in behind. It could be a solution."

Tickets are on sale for the matches at San Siro against Salernitana, Liverpool and Napoli: buy yours now!