Vincenzo Montella is “a warrior” who finds the speculation over his Milan future amusing ahead of the trip to Sassuolo. “We’re on the right path.”
It kicks off on Sunday at 19.45 GMT, click here for a match preview.
Vincenzo Montella is “a warrior” who finds the speculation over his Milan future amusing ahead of the trip to Sassuolo. “We’re on the right path.”
It kicks off on Sunday at 19.45 GMT, click here for a match preview.
“We are putting in good performances, but without picking up points. We must start winning to climb back up the table,” said the Coach in his Press conference.
“The statistics show that we have a lot of shots on goal and we score very few of them. Admittedly we haven’t created quite as much over the last couple of games as we did before, but we still went very close to the goal.
“I’ve said before that we need to play with a more relaxed mentality, as that will allow the players to express their quality.
“I am not tired of the rumours, I am a warrior and focus only on Milan. I know full well there are peaks and troughs in football, moving from the stars to the gutter with disconcerting speed. It’s part of football and I know perfectly well how things go.
“The issue is that during the game, the team doesn’t always interpret the various phases the right way. It is certainly not a physical issue.
“Sometimes the performance is judged when the result is what counts. For example, on Thursday, I maintain it was a very good result to get a draw at AEK Athens.
“The other teams are moving very quickly in Serie A, but I don’t believe they will keep up that pace forever. I trust we can get back on track and climb the table to get back into fourth place.”
Montella was asked about the consistent rumours he is on the verge of dismissal, to be replaced by current Primavera youth team boss Gennaro Gattuso. He took the opportunity to mock today’s Gazzetta dello Sport front page.
“I think the club defended my work many times, including before the Europa League match. I saw the front page of a newspaper today, but I ask if you’re going to use Photoshop to take inches off people, take them off me too! I saw Gattuso and he looked so skinny on there! He even looked taller! He’s my friend, so I can say that.
“I don’t worry about what might be, I see these papers and laugh, then focus on the current situation. I am the Milan Coach, I have a year and a half left on my contract, I believe in this project more and more, so I want to see it through. I don’t have to present myself as a candidate for something that is already mine.
“Will I still be the Coach before the Napoli game? Yes, of course. Why wouldn’t I be? Until proven otherwise, yes.”
While Montella is in the balance, Sassuolo boss Cristian Bucchi is finding his feet after initial difficulties replacing Eusebio Di Francesco.
“Sassuolo changed their Coach and their tactics, so started badly, but have now gone back to the old way and rediscovered their solidity. Their performance matters little, because the most important thing is Milan’s approach.
“Milan have a battling spirit. We must do more, but you don’t get a point against Genoa when down to 10 men without a battling spirit, nor put in those performances against Juventus and AEK.
“It’s impossible not to rotate players. I think the team has an identity and I never considered myself the Coach of 11 players, but of an entire squad. There is consistency within the rotation considering there’s a game every three days.
“This is the path we need to stay on and I don’t see the performances or results getting worse at all. I am not remotely worried. It was not a great first half against AEK, I acknowledge that, because we didn’t have enough movement off the ball and we suffer when opponents man-mark us.
“There are moments when the lads are disappointed they aren’t achieving what they wanted to in a match, but that doesn’t mean they lack determination.”
Among the most impressive new buys was not Leonardo Bonucci or Lucas Biglia, but the much-maligned Fabio Borini.
“We are not surprised by Borini’s performances, as he always gives 110 per cent and was a positive signing. Hakan Calhanoglu has enormous quality, he’s very sensitive to certain situations, but I never said he lacked character. It probably just takes him a little time to settle. So far, he’s satisfying me, and I’m sure he will soon blossom.”