Massimiliano Allegri defends Milan’s performance this season, before demanding full focus on beating Genoa on Saturday night.
Massimiliano Allegri defends Milan’s performance this season, before demanding full focus on beating Genoa on Saturday night.
Recent weeks have seen the Rossoneri’s title bid falter, as a draw to Catania and a defeat to Fiorentina” data-scaytid=”7″>Fiorentina has turned a four-point lead over Juventus” data-scaytid=”8″>Juventus into a one-point deficit.
Predictably, in facing the Press ahead of Week 33’s clash with struggling Genoa, Allegri has faced questions on the team’s diminished title chances and whether he is nervous for his future in the job.
“I’m not nervous. I have seen some observations saying that Milan’s season is being viewed as unsuccessful, which I don’t think it has been up until this point,” the Coach declared on Friday.
“We have had many injuries and we must change something there, but we are a point away from the lead in the League, we exited the Champions League quarter-finals to Barcelona and managed to get to the semi-finals of the Coppa Italia.
“If Juve are considered to be doing great things then so too should Milan, unless you think that Milan had to win 100 points.
“We have to win tomorrow and then we’ll see about the Scudetto. We cannot afford to talk about this though, we must focus on the game against the Rossoblu.
“We’ll have to play well tomorrow and with force, not as we have against Fiorentina or Chievo. Genoa have quality players in spite of their position in the table. It is not easy, but this game will require full concentration for 90 minutes. I think that for their characteristics, Genoa will play openly.”
Allegri was asked about Sulley Muntari’s disallowed goal for the club in their League game with Juventus in late February, given that the Bianconeri sit a point ahead in the standings right now.
“At the moment it is significant, but we’re not thinking of what might have been, there are games left to play. We think of tomorrow, to take three points and return to the top of the table.
“Meanwhile, we returned to victory in Verona, not having played well, but in a performance to be proud of. We are here still playing for the League.
“In these last six games peace of mind will count a lot – we can pick up three points and then see how Juventus do the next day.”