Stefano Pioli was cagey on his Milan choices against Roma, but defended Suso and Hakan Calhanoglu from criticism. “You hit one, you hit us all.”

It kicks off on Sunday at 17.00 GMT, click here for a match preview.

This is his second game in charge after the disappointing 2-2 draw with Lecce, a performance that saw several players including Suso bitterly criticised.

Stefano Pioli was cagey on his Milan choices against Roma, but defended Suso and Hakan Calhanoglu from criticism. “You hit one, you hit us all.”

It kicks off on Sunday at 17.00 GMT, click here for a match preview.

This is his second game in charge after the disappointing 2-2 draw with Lecce, a performance that saw several players including Suso bitterly criticised.

“We won’t be part of any social or media pillory of our players. We are united, the objective is to be a team and fight for the results together,” said Pioli in his press conference.

“If you hit one player, you hit us all, you hit me and you hit Milan. We have to be positive and not let ourselves get caught up in hysteria.

“We’ve got to prove ourselves in every match and learn from the Lecce game where we should’ve been more concentrated. It’s not just about players being young or inexperienced, but the way we interpret the matches.

“Tomorrow we are up against a Roma side that has lost only one game this season. I expect them to be determined and we need to match them on that level.”

Pioli left Krzysztof Piatek on the bench in favour of Rafael Leao against Lecce, so will he use the same trident with Suso and Hakan Calhanoglu or draft in Ante Rebic?

“I will choose the best line-up available, just as I did against Lecce. Leao and Piatek have different characteristics, so they can alternate, but also play together if we are able to find the right balance elsewhere.

“I expect Lucas Paqueta to be more enterprising on the ball and create more danger going forward. He remains a midfielder, which means he needs to keep the intensity up throughout the match.

“I liked the way Calhanoglu approached the game overall and not just the goal he scored. If we were to play Lucas Biglia and Ismael Bennacer together, we’d have to change other positions, which at the moment I do not want to change. We need some consistency at the moment.

“The best possible team for the game will play tomorrow. That is all I can tell you, then you can read the XI when the time comes.”

The new coach also tried to keep the expectations down, even though the club directors seem to believe in a top four finish.

“We have to roll our sleeves up. We’ll try to win them all and then see where we are, that’s all we can do. I made no promises to anyone. All the players start with me on the same level and I’ll play those who can give me the most guarantees for that game.”

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Tickets Kit Collector