ALLEGRI: "NEED TO BE ALERT AND CLINICAL"

Parma at the Tardini before the international break, an important match and a crucial test after the notable victory over Roma. It's the day before Parma v AC Milan, on matchday 11 of Serie A, scheduled for Saturday 8 November at 20:45 CET. Ahead of departure, Massimiliano Allegri held his pre-match press conference. Here's what he had to say:

AHEAD OF PARMA V AC MILAN
"We're facing a team that always fight hard, that play a lot of long balls, and have the talented Pellegrino up front. Playing at Parma is never easy. We need to be prepared and keep up with them. Parma usually disrupt their opponent's style of football, so it could be a stop-start kind of match. We need to be sharp and accurate, without making many mistakes, and stay focused throughout. The important thing is the result, we haven't won away since Udine."

DEFENCE AND ATTACK
"We made some mistakes with the goals we conceded against Cremonese and Pisa, and that cost us valuable points. The number of goals we concede is crucial if we want to reach certain targets, which is why the team needs to work together when they don't have the ball. At the same time, we also need to improve our finishing. We can't afford to waste chances like we did against Roma. Overall, we need to get better at managing things in the attacking half."

ONE STEP AT A TIME
"There's a great atmosphere at the Milanello, we need to stay grounded, stay strong and poised even in unexpected moments. Our goal is still Champions League qualification. The season is long and there are a lot of opponents, so we will work hard and improve, then we'll see where we stand from March onwards. The derby? It's too soon to think about that. Right now we're focused on Parma so we can go into the break in good spirit."

INJURY UPDATES AND PLAYER FOCUS
"We've got Pulisic back, who is doing well and available to play. Estupiñan and Jashari have also improved. Rabiot and Gimenez will be back after the international break. Leão and Nkunku played very well in attack agaisnt Roma. Leão is not fully back to his best yet, but that performance against Roma needs to be the norm. As for Gimenez, it’s too early to tell whether he’ll be back for the derby. Sometimes he can even play as a central striker, but both Leão and Nkunku are also capable. Maignan is a top goalkeeper. Mike's contract renewal? that’s up to the club."

The AC Milan PUMA Kits for 2025/26 are available: buy them now!