ALLEGRI: "MOTIVATION MAKES THE DIFFERENCE"

After the last-gasp win in Cremona, all eyes turn to AC Milan v Inter. Matchday 28 of Serie A brings the derby, a pivotal moment in the season and one of the most eagerly awaited and fiercely contested fixtures of the campaign. On the eve of the match, Coach Allegri has spoken to the media at Milanello in a press conference broadcast live on Milan TV and the AC Milan Official App.

THE DERBY
"It's always a unique and special game, to play in and watch. It will be a great evening of sport in which first take on second place. There are three points at stake which always carry the same weight. I expect it to be a balanced and exciting game, where we’ll have to pay attention to the details. The only thing we can do is play in the moment and see how the result turns out. Regardless of tomorrow's game, we must remain focused on our objective: 57 points are not enough to return to the Champions League. Our schedule is difficult, we need to secure some more victories."

SQUAD UPDATES
"We are all fit except Loftus-Cheek, Gabbia and Gimenez. Bartesaghi trained with the team yesterday and I’ll decide tomorrow who will start between him and Estupiñan, who is in good form and also growing mentally. The four attacking players are improving: Pulisic is progressing, Leão is much better, and Nkunku and Füllkrug are doing well. They’re strong in midfield, but so are we: Fofana, Modrić and Rabiot are in good form, and Ricci and Jashari have improved a lot. At this stage of the season, motivation matters more than fitness. The team that wants it more usually gets the results.”

SERIE A AND THE TITLE RACE
“In football, you never know what will happen, we’ll see where we stand after the game. We still need at least five wins to reach the Champions League, which remains our goal. Winning tomorrow would bring us one step closer. When you coach AC Milan, you can’t start the season without aiming to win the league, but in the end, only the results tell the story. I don’t buy into the idea of ‘rebuilding’ or ‘consolidation’ seasons, football has too many variables. The only approach I know is to work professionally, give your all, and stay true to the club’s identity.”

INTER
“They’ve been fighting to win the league for six years, they’ve won it and reached two Champions League finals, so right now they’re the strongest team in the league. They can score in many different ways, they’re physically strong in the box, and they have plenty of attacking solutions, good finishers, and strong players in the air. We also have strong quality and the ability to play a good game and create chances to score against them.”

LAUTARO'S ABSENCE
“Lautaro is a fantastic player, but Inter have a strong group of forwards. Whoever plays tomorrow will need technique, commitment, and passion to perform in a game of this importance.”

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