PIOLI: "LET'S SHOW OUR WORTH"

A memorable year is about to complete its final chapter. At San Siro, AC Milan host Fiorentina in the game that precedes the break for the World Cup in Qatar: Matchday 15 of Serie A has important points up for grabs for the Rossoneri, who want to bounce back from the draw in Cremona. Ahead of the match, Coach Pioli held a press conference from Milanello, with his comments being broadcast on Milan TV, YouTube and Twitch.

PRE-MATCH
"Winning would mean not capitulating in the face of a league table that we currently don't like. We have the quality and desire to take opportunities that would see us get back in the race. There's still a long way to go. It's a very unusual schedule and there are still 24 games left, with many points still up for grabs. 2022 has been a very positive year for us, but we mustn't stop now."

THE GAME AGAINST THE VIOLA
"We know about Fiorentina, but it'd be wrong to focus on our opponents. Instead, our thoughts need to be on our game knowing that we can determine our own performance. Usually, when we do this, we manage to pick up a positive result. We need to show who we are."

BOUNCING BACK AFTER CREMONA
"The mental side of things makes the difference, but how we do technically and tactically is also important, especially when you have less time to prepare matches. My team now has a wealth of knowledge that they can draw on to read any kind of situation. We got our timings wrong against Cremonese, not showing enough pace and intensity to cause problems for a defence that wasn’t allowing any space for us to play in. At other times, when there was movement, the right players weren’t picked out. As regards tomorrow, there are no other thoughts. We have a match, and I want to see a team with this mentality."

INDIVIDUALS
"When numbers are excellent, it's never a coincidence. If AC Milan don't concede a lot of goals with Kjær on the pitch, it's because Simon is a leader who does his talking on the pitch. He really helps his teammates take up the correct positions: communication is very important, and he makes a significant contribution in defence. He knows when to be aggressive, when to wait; he's a very useful player. Thiaw as part of a three-man backline? He often experienced this at Schalke 04. Against Cremonese, it was a comfortable game for the defenders defensively, but we could have done better with our build-up play. However, I think he produced the performance he needed to. Tătăruşanu? If he's remained in the team, it's because I've been happy with his performances, which have got better and better. He hadn't played for a long time, but he's now more of a presence and improved in the way he starts moves off."

NEW ARRIVALS
"I think my way of thinking has been positive and constructive, and the defeatist attitude and negativity coming from outside don't interest us. Time is needed to get used to a big change. Here, there is one rule: giving help and asking for help means combining our strengths and making the most of all of them together. We're all helping them in such a way that they can best express themselves. They'll get to a point where they play as an AC Milan player should."

TAKING STOCK
"I think there are many things we can do better. The mistake we made was not winning Tuesday's game. Compared to last season and the first 14 games, we've done better at home than on the road. We've scored fewer goals and conceded more. We're going to work on these situations during the break as we look to raise our level in all competitions. In doing so, we'll need to pay attention to and analyse all the details."

THE BREAK
"We're organising the break in a very detailed manner and have prepared several working groups. The players who are heading to the World Cup will have a tailor-made plan depending on how many games they play. Then we have the injured players; there's a question mark over Zlatan but we hope to have the others back fit by the time the league resumes. We'll make the most of the break to prepare for our January fixtures as best we can. In December, we'll be in Dubai without the players who are competing in the World Cup. Maignan still isn't ready; he'll return in January."

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