Stefano PioliMilan coach, is present at the press conference starting from 2pm to answer journalists’ questions on the eve of the match between Milan and Genoa, valid for the 35th matchday of Serie A and scheduled for tomorrow at 6pm at San Siro.
Follow all of Pioli’s statements in the conference live with the live text on TMW.
2.00pm | Stefano Pioli’s press conference now begins.
In case of victory tomorrow it will be the Italian Super Cup..
“There absolutely must be the will to play in the best way possible to win and take second place, which is not yet entirely ours.”
How complicated is it to work with rumors about the future?
“My task shouldn’t be complicated: there are 4 games left. It’s true that outside we talk about everything except the games, but we don’t. We have a great sense of responsibility. Then we’ll see the future at the end of the championship.”
He was linked to Napoli…
“No worries, other than the next four games. At the end of the championship I will meet the Club and we will see what to do.”
How do you prepare tomorrow?
“We have the opportunity to demonstrate that we are responsible people: we cannot change our past, but we can change the present.”
How is the relationship with the managers?
“Zlatan and Moncada were here yesterday. The relationship between the managers has always been good and will also be so at the end of the championship, even when we talk about our future.”
Other important clubs appreciate your work…
“You’ve waited a long time, wait a little longer to talk about the future: the work isn’t finished. You can write, I can’t control the rumors and I don’t even want to control what you put out there. The real thing is that I have another year of contract with Milan and that I will not talk to any other club while I am under contract with Milan.”
Can you even take a year off?
“I know you find it hard to believe me and I understand it from your looks, but not thinking about my future. Then we will decide. We will meet with the club at the end of the championship and then we will decide what to do.”
Important matches for Chukwueze?
“It will be an important month for everyone. Chukwueze is well, he will play tomorrow.”
From Genoa to Genoa… What happened?
“We won with a bit of luck, we were first in the standings. I want to congratulate Gilardino for the work he did: he has very good players, but he was good at putting them together. We met our rivals who did an incredible championship, we weren’t able to stay close to them. Then the elimination against Roma was very, very painful for us, we played two normal games and we were eliminated.”
Do you have a perception of the hostile climate in Milan?
“When you coach a club like Milan there is no middle ground: I have been praised a lot and I have been criticized a lot.”
Do you like pizza?
“I like cappelletti in broth, because I’m from Parma… (laughs, ed.) I congratulate Pecchia on the promotion, he can rest assured…”
Protest at San Siro tomorrow.
“Our fans have always been an added value, especially in difficult moments. And I don’t forget that. They have taken this position and we respect it, then we have to do everything to ensure we win the match.”
6 months ago it was Pioli is on fire…
“In these 5 years I have often returned home with a happy heart when I was on fire, then recently things have changed and I was a little sadder… When there is so much love there are always excesses: I enjoyed so much inside the satisfaction that the fans gave me, I also suffered a lot.”
Training?
“I’ll tell you beforehand, there’s someone who will write it as soon as he leaves here: tomorrow Pulisic, Leao, Chukwueze and Giroud are playing. If I didn’t choose them other times it’s because I thought that other types of characteristics were needed more to win the games matches. Loftus-Cheek has had an excellent season, he is strong: then he cannot have the continuity that perhaps he will have next season, both in terms of knowledge and physique.”
How do you rate Gilardino?
“He did a great job, they play well, they have young players with excellent prospects.”
Is he the right man for Milan?
“For tomorrow I hope to be the right man for Milan, then we will decide the future. I told the boys that we deserve to finish well.”
Have the team leaders had less impact this season?
“We have always thought about the team, never about an individual. There are positive and negative things in our season. Then everyone can grow, many can still give something.”
You won a championship at Milan like few others…
“It’s clear that I am part of Milan’s history, not only for the Scudetto, but also because I coached this team for five seasons, in which there were positive and negative things.”
De Rossi said that Milan-Roma was more balanced than the result…
“I wish Daniele to maintain this clarity and correctness in his evaluations and judgements; I am following him, I have always appreciated him a lot as a footballer for his mental and character qualities, I like him a lot. I don’t feel like giving advice, just being himself yourself to be credible with players and who you deal with.”
On behalf of all the AC Milan fans and journalists present, AC Milan remembers David Messina, a journalist who recently passed away.
How is Kalulu?
“He and Pobega will be summoned.”
In the first leg, Genoa’s dribbling had created problems…
“They know how to cover spaces well, they work the ball well with both defenders and the goalkeeper.”
How were Primavera this year?
“It was a very important season for the boys, they often worked with us and grew a lot.”
The conference ends here.
