Sandro Tonali saw Milan conclude ‘the perfect week’ with a victory over Sampdoria to go top of the Serie A table. ‘Resting on our laurels would be the stupidest thing to do right now.’
The Rossoneri are the new Serie A leaders, even though Inter still have a game in hand, as they squeezed their way past Sampdoria 1-0.
Serie A | Milan 1-0 Sampdoria: Leao makes Rossoneri new leaders
An early Rafael Leao goal proved the difference, running onto a long clearance from Mike Maignan.
“We can call this a perfect week, as it’s tough to do better than this,” Tonali told Sky Sport Italia after the derby victory in Serie A, crushing Lazio 4-0 in the Coppa Italia and now this.
“We are proud and satisfied, but resting on our laurels after these three matches would be the stupidest thing we could do right now. We’ve got to wipe the slate clean and start again from scratch, the way we do after every victory.”
Milan were seven points adrift of the leaders only a couple of months ago, so how did they steel themselves during that difficult time?
“We talked in the locker room, we went through it last season, we know that you can be up there and a minute later back down, then a minute after that back at the top. We know what three consecutive victories can do for a team, even if one was in the Coppa Italia.”
After the Leao goal, the Milan players all ran to hug Maignan for his remarkable pass.
“It’s not every day you see a goalkeeper provide an assist. He tries that long ball often and we are happy, it was fundamental to get an early goal.”
There was a banner in the stands from Milan supporters warning those who are ‘unsatisfied’ should leave the club, as actions spoke louder than words.
It comes after Tonali and Theo Hernandez signed new contracts, but Franck Kessie and Alessio Romagnoli look ready to walk away as free agents.
“It is evident that not just me, but many of these players are really embedded in Milan, both as players and people. That is good for Milan at this moment,” explained Tonali.
“The club stands with us, looks after us and that is fundamental so we can give our best.
“It would be great if they were to sign the new contracts. We’ve known each other a long time, we saw today we all work in the same direction and after the goal we ran 100 metres to hug Maignan. These are all little things that make the difference.”
Kessie not signing is one thing but for Romagnoli to not sign is a disgrace given that he’s been a fan since he was a boy.
NormanloRd I think Romagnolo was a fan of Nesta, but he dreams of playing for Lazio
@NormanloRd Romagnoli is Lazio fan
Romagnoli is a Lazio fan Plus, he’s got Raiola as an agent. That’s the biggest obstacle.
Romagnoli is a Lazio fan..
raiola is a dollar fan
If a player is willing to depart a club,just let him go,no player is bigger than a team. Milan made them who they’re now and yet they want to hold Milan for ransom. Romagnoli is a childhood fan of Lazio and that ungrateful man called Raiola is his agent,while Kessie and his unwise agent are after money 💰. We survived without the likes of Maldini,Baresi,Kaka,Nesta,Pirlo etc,who are Kessie,Romagnoli,Hakan and Donna?