2 weeks ago
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Massimiliano Allegri is happy with the work that the AC Milan squad put in during their preseason tour, which ended with an emphatic win.
After a 1-0 defeat to Arsenal and a 4-2 victory over Liverpool, Milan concluded their Asia-Pacific tour with a crushing 9-0 victory over A-League side Perth Glory. Admittedly it felt a bit like an exhibition game at times, but it was good to see the tempo and intensity kept so high.
The first half saw five goals from Filippo Terracciano, Noah Okafor (x2), Christian Comotto and Samuel Chukwueze. In the second half the foot was kept on the accelerator as four more goals came from Rafael Leao (x2), Samuele Ricci and Yunus Musah.
‘Happy with what we’ve achieved’
Speaking to Milan TV after the game in Perth, Allegri reflected on the three games played in the tour but also the training sessions and the spirit growing within the group.
How do you think the tour went?
“We’ve put in 20 days of good work since we started, 25 actually. We’ve had a good tour, some good friendlies, and some good performances. We’ve worked well, and we’re happy with what we’ve achieved.
“When we get back to the number five [the room his office is in at Casa Milan] in Italy, we’ll have to think about the season starting and everything changing.”
How do you assess the Perth Glory game?
“The boys are working hard and with enthusiasm, which is the most important thing. Above all, they’re very serious.
“Usually, the last match of the tour is always taken a bit too lightly, but instead the boys did very well because they took it seriously. We needed to train well; it should have been a great evening for sport in Australia, and we’re happy.”
What are the next steps?
“Right now, we have to always take it one step at a time, think game by game and, above all, day by day, where we have to work as I’ve always said: calmly and with great balance.
“Don’t get too excited when things are going well because there will be difficult moments, and in those difficult moments, you have to be careful not to get dragged into depression.”
Is the difficulty more on a mental level or on a physical level?
“It’s more on a mental level that you have to be good at maintaining a balance, knowing that the season is a 38-game cruise where you always have to travel at the same speed.”
What kind of welcome have you had these past few days?
“We were welcomed very warmly and enthusiastically. There are many AC Milan fans, and the stadium was packed tonight. It was a great evening, a great training session, and we’re happy with how we worked.
“Now we need to put this first month aside and get back to Italy. We still have two friendlies to play, one in Dublin and one in London, and then we have an important match, the Coppa Italia match.”
English (US) ·