Milan coach Stefano Pioli told the media during his pre-Juventus press conference that he has no doubts Milan will secure their spot in next year’s edition of the Champions League before the end of the season.
The Rossoneri boss noted that Milan have a good track record on the final day of the season, but insisted that he would rather have the top four wrapped up by the time the referee blows for full-time in their Serie A game against the Bianconeri on Sunday evening.
By the time the two teams walk out of the tunnel at the Allianz Stadium, Milan will have had an eight-day break since their last outing against Sampdoria, a rest that was welcomed by the coach and his players.
“We took advantage of it to recover energy,” he told journalists at Milanello on Saturday afternoon. He continued: “Tomorrow is Juve-Milan, we will be met with a very determined, very concentrated Juve, who have picked up so many points at home. It is a crucial game in the race for fourth place, or maybe something even better.
“It will be the continuation of a journey with some very happy moments and a few disappointments. We mustn’t ever forget where we started.”
Asked what challenges Juve would present to his team, Pioli replied: “It’s not our concern. I’m convinced they’ll play the best game possible to prove a lot of things, but we want to win, too. We’ve been very good on the last day in the last two years, but we’d rather not let it get to that point.
“I don’t know how today’s matches will go. We know we’ll need a top-level match, against a team that did a little better than us in the league but worse than us in the Champions League. Today’s results won’t change our attitude, we always take to the field with the aim of winning matches.
“They have a defensive set-up which is capable of alternating, having width is always important and we’ll try to take positions that can allow us to control the game and be dangerous.”
Pioli also weighed in on the news of Juventus’ -10 point deduction, confirmed earlier in the week, admitting that the manner of the verdict wasn’t ideal for the Bianconeri, or for any team for that matter.
“We all agree that the timing wasn’t ideal,” he confessed. “Points deducted, added back on and then taken away again, better timing could be delivered to help all the teams in the division.”
Pioli was also asked about his plans for the upcoming summer transfer window, but he was unwilling to give away any major clues as to who the Rossoneri will look to bring in.
He said: “I have some ideas, but it’s not the time to talk about it, there will be time to talk about renewals and the market and the future.”