Paolo Maldini warns there’s a fine line between ‘a good finish and winning’, while he gives injury updates for Milan stars Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Olivier Giroud ahead of the game with Atalanta.
It kicks off at 19.45 UK time (18.45 GMT) at the Gewiss Stadium in Bergamo.
Follow all the build-up and action as it happens on the LIVEBLOG.
First up, the technical director was asked if this represented a Scudetto showdown for these clubs.
“Our aim is to improve. We know the difference between a good finish and winning,” he told DAZN.
“We know at Milan it’s a fine line, but that is the most difficult step up to make.”
Injuries are piling up for the Rossoneri, as Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Olivier Giroud are again unavailable.
“The plan is to have Ibrahimovic, Giroud, Bakayoko and Krunic back after the break for international duty. Ibrahimovic doesn’t have any lesions, it’s just pain in his calf muscle. He is in constant dialogue with the coach to understand when he can and can’t play.
“Giroud felt this pain in his back during the game with Liverpool. We thought he was over it, but it flared up again.”
There were reports that Franck Kessie would be dropped due to poor form, and the on-going tension around his contract situation, as his current deal expires at the end of the season and he’ll be a free agent within months.
However, the Ivory Coast international is in the starting XI today.
“We always try to use the best players for that particular game. The contracts are dealt with by the club, the coach decides who plays.”
This is a return to Bergamo after the infamous 5-0 defeat that kick-started the ‘new’ Milan approach almost two years ago.
“Everything was getting destroyed that day, but we were able to get the positives out of it. The memory of that loss remains stronger in our minds than last season’s 2-0 win, though.”
Maldini a DAZN: “Kessie? I contratti li facciamo noi, l’allenatore gestisce il campo. Scudetto? L’idea è di migliorare” https://t.co/OT6xPvWK3o
— MilanNews.it (@MilanNewsit) October 3, 2021