Stefano Pioli was satisfied with his Milan squad ahead of tomorrow’s match against Venezia.
The Rossoneri currently sit one point ahead league leaders Inter in the Serie A table, although the Nerazzurri have a game in hand following the postponement of their match against Bologna on Thursday. A win against Venezia tomorrow is crucial in order to keep up the pressure on Simone Inzaghi’s side.
Speaking to gathered reporters in a press conference today, Pioli first discussed his team’s performance in the 3-1 win over Roma this week.
“I was happy with the team after Roma. It was a tough game, especially mentally, because we handled it well physically.
“When we win, we always run less than our opponents.”
He refused to comment on the idea that the Rossoneri have an easier schedule than Inter.
“The next two games are complicated for us, against good opponents. So we have to think about performing at a high level. Intensity and quality.
“We have to think about our own path and not that of our opponents.”
The Milan coach spoke about Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s reaction following his missed penalty against Roma.
“He’s always angry, he’s always angry at someone or something to get the motivation out of himself.
“He wasn’t happy with the penalty, but he was happy with the way he went in and with the team. If there is another penalty, he will decide what to do.”
Pioli discussed if Rafael Leao can reach Paris Saint-Germain star Kylian Mbappe’s level one day.
“He reminds me a lot of Henry. I think he has to convince himself and work a lot on his mentality to try to be ambitious.
“One with his means must think of reaching the roof of the world, but talent is not enough. He understands that he has to work in a certain way.”
He spoke highly of Italian midfielder Sandro Tonali.
“He has grown so much that his position on the pitch is not so important. He needed a path of knowledge, but now, whether the team plays with one centre forward or two, it’s not a problem for him.
“He has acquired that awareness and that way of being on the pitch that allows him to be useful both in the build-up and defensive phases.”
Finally, Pioli discussed the idea that this season could be distorted due to the postponement of matches.
“This is the kind of season it is, you have to know how to adapt and respect certain situations. It seems to me that in all European leagues there are games that are played and others that are not.
“We’re happy to have played, now we face a team that hasn’t played, it’s hard to say whether that’s good or bad. We must put in a solid performance to try to win the game. We respect the decisions.”
Pioli: “Calendario più facile dell’Inter? Noi non guardiamo gli altri. Ibra arrabbiato per il rigore” #VeneziaMilan https://t.co/ACQYbCYHt0
— La Gazzetta dello Sport (@Gazzetta_it) January 8, 2022