Juventus-Milan, Pioli: “Do I expect ready players? The squad needs to be improved”

Stefano Pioli, Rossoneri coach, spoke to ‘DAZN’ at the end of Juventus-Milan, matchday 37 of Serie A 2022-2023

Stephen PioliAC Milan coach, spoke to the microphones of ‘DAZN‘ at the end of Juventus-Milanmatch of the 37th day of the Serie A 2022-2023 which took place atAllianz Stadium. So here are his statements.

On the balance at the end of the season: “Time to take stock, I agree with what Borghi said. The Champions League gave us much more than we expected, then it gave us bitterness because we went out in the semifinal against Inter. But we have gone on a path that no one expected. In the championship we have done less than we expected. We probably need to start again from where we started this path. This year we have tried to be competitive in both competitions and something has been missing. But it is a solid team, with strong foundations. It wasn’t easy to win today. It was a particular season, we played five months without the best goalkeeper in the last championship. For the first time some players took part in the World Cup and it was difficult to find the better condition. But now we’re enjoying the result, next year we’ll play again in the Champions League.”

On what he said to the team at the end of the match: “They spoke to them, as it should be. They were the main actors of this year, we wanted to do well tonight avoiding reaching the end with something to win. I can’t than to thank my players. It’s true that we’ve had ups and downs, but the group has never ceased to be compact and cohesive. We’ve always been united, we’ll take this satisfaction tonight and we’ll carry it until the next game.”

If he expects ready players to arrive: “It depends on the expectations and the objectives we want to achieve. If we want to win the championship and make a good run in the Champions League, it is clear that the team needs to improve. Because keeping competitions at this level is difficult. But they are happy to have young players, they are enthusiastic. It depends on what we want to do, if the club wants to be competitive we need to make a competitive squad. It is easy this year to assign responsibilities to players who have arrived now, it was more difficult last year You need patience, I understand that there isn’t any because we are Milan. But if you focus on young players you have to wait for them. It’s pointless that I always give the examples of Leao and Tonali. The club must have its idea and carry it forward. a virtuous club, the balance sheets are positive. Then there’s to understand what to do, the objectives. But to be competitive in both competitions you need ready and young players too”.

If there’s money: “You have to ask Maldini and Massara, they’ll know what they have available and how to improve the team.”

On the change of form during the season: “Honestly, I don’t believe that, we were at a time when we were no longer a team. We haven’t changed the way we play because we’ve always been an aggressive team, even more so with a three-man defence. I’m convinced that we could only overcome Tottenham by playing in that way there. Then when the condition of the important players increased we returned to play. At that moment there I could not do otherwise to change an inertia that had become too negative. Then I will have other choices wrong, others I will have guessed”. The Rossoneri’s post-match report cards according to our editorial staff >>>