Pioli: ‘Three incredible years of AC Milan. Maldini and Massara perfect couple ”

A look at the past, obviously the focus on the present, but also an eye in perspective. Stefano Pioli is an all-rounder who was interviewed by Lega Serie A.

His Rossoneri “birthday”

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“On 9 October I celebrated my first three years at Milan, three years full of emotions, of work, of collaboration in a great club. Three years in which an incredible journey has been made together with my players, always evolving. We continue to have ideas and mindsets to improve and grow. I have always been very confident and positive, the club has provided me with a staff with a very high potential and a lot of talent. When you combine these characteristics with availability, the desire to grow and improve, you can really aim high. We are Milan, it was right to try to win something back ”.

On the scudetto effect and the championship

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“We have become a target for our opponents, everyone plays to beat us, so we have to keep thinking about raising our level if we want to compete to win again. The championship balance would have been very positive if we hadn’t lost against Napoli because I believe that, for the way the team played, we deserved something else. We know that we must continue like this and that we can do better. At our level, in particular, attention to detail can make the difference, as we have seen and paid for on our skin. We conceded a few goals too many despite having conceded little to the opponents. We must and can do even more ”.

On the long stop

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“We already have a program for who will stay in Milan, but the biggest unknowns will concern our players who will go to Qatar. In that case it will be necessary to make individual programs, based on when they will return and how they will return. It will be necessary to understand when to let them rest and when to let them play. This will be the most delicate and important situation to manage “.

About the group

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“Our sport is collective, we have to involve everyone and make sure that everyone gives everything they have for the good of the team, even taking away something on an individual level. The group is fundamental, it must be put at the center, it must come first ”.

On Maldini and Massara

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“The luck of a coach is to find competent managers who support you and with whom you can have a comparison. Maldini and Massara are a perfect couple and I’m having a great time with them. The fact that we have been working together for three years has allowed us to get to know each other and to relate better. Their presence is very important both for me and for the team ”.

On Sunday’s game

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“The away match in Verona is always difficult to prepare because every time we face a very physical, intense and difficult to overcome team that is exalted in front of its audience. We have our cards to play and a lot of quality to put on the pitch, we will have to prepare every detail very well because we know the difficulties we will encounter ”.