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After the game between Milan and Napoli, Max Allegri spoke to the media and praised his side for defending the 2-1 lead with great fighting spirit.
It ended up being a nerve-racking affair at San Siro as Milan had to play most of the second half with ten men. Pervis Estupinan was sent off and Kevin De Bruyne converted the subsequent penalty, leaving the Rossoneri with a one-goal lead to defend.
Speaking to DAZN after the game, as transcribed by MilanNews, Allegri shared his thoughts on the defensive display and what the win means for the club. Having moved to the top of the standings, it’s clear that it means a whole lot.
On the game…
“I’m happy, it was an important test. It was a very difficult match against a Napoli side with great quality. We played a great first half, but unfortunately, in the second half, the sending off and the penalty forced us to… let’s just say we got a good defensive work-out.
“It shows that when you defend in a certain way, you rarely concede goals. It’s only the beginning; we need to enjoy this winning evening, and from tomorrow onwards we’ll have to focus on the last match before the break.”
Did Milan lack pride and team spirit before?
“We need to keep working. We’ve made a small step forward with this win we got against a great Napoli. There will be tough matches like this in the league, but if you play with this spirit, it’s easier to win. Leao’s fitness is lagging, while Nkunku is improving: there are good things we can do well.”
Where did the idea to play this way come from?
“Honestly, since the first game against Arsenal in the summer. We played with two attacking midfielders, a double midfielder, and Leao as a striker.
Then it depends on the characteristics of the two attacking midfielders: if he’s more defensive, he becomes a mezz’ala, if he’s more attacking, he becomes an attacking midfielder.
“We have always worked this way, and every now and then we change things up in training to see if there are any different solutions that might be useful during the year.”
How does Leao fit into all this?
“Up front, we have Leao, Pulisic, Gimenez, Nkunku, and Loftus-Cheek, who’s been playing between midfield and attack. We have five players for two or three spots, and it’s important for everyone to improve their condition, especially Leao, who was sidelined for 45 days and didn’t get much playing time.
“I’m disappointed Nkunku didn’t get the chance to come on, because he’s a high-quality player and is very good at managing the game. Gimenez worked very well. But the important thing is that whoever goes on the pitch runs a lot because then in the 60th minute a new player comes on.”
How did Modric become so successful in such a short time?
“Luka is such an intelligent player… In the Italian league, he’s a player who gives you more quality in front of the defence and manages himself better. He’s also very intelligent in his closing down.
“Those who play in front of the defence should usually have more interception balls, and interception balls, compared to tackle balls, open up counterattacks. He’s very good at that. Ambrosini was also good when I put him in front of the defence. A little less quality, but he was good.”
After Cremonese, it seemed like disaster was on the cards…
“Football is strange. We conceded two goals from the only two crosses we faced, and Maignan didn’t even make a single save. Paradoxically, we conceded more against Bari than against Cremonese. Football is strange; against Cremonese, we had two lapses in concentration that cost us goals. The more players play together, the better they get.”
Are you already thinking about the match against Juventus with dread?
“No, no, absolutely not. Sunday is a great match, wonderful. I’ve played a few here and a few there. First at Milan, then at Juve, then back at Juve, and back here again. It’s also fun.”
Milan will be up against Allegri’s former side next, namely Juventus, and a win in that game too would certainly allow the Rossoneri to dream about the Scudetto. For now, however, they need to take things step by step.
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