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00:00Good afternoon, everyone. Welcome along to this pre-match press conference on the eve of Milan Lecce.
00:06We'll start with Milan TV. Thank you, Nicola. Good afternoon, Gaffer.
00:10Gaffer, how important is it for you and the team now to kick on from this, to keep improving,
00:18to make the most of this momentum by going even further?
00:24How important is that for Milan Lecce onwards?
00:27It's very, very important. Our next game is hugely important.
00:34We need to once again confirm that we are improving.
00:41I think the derby victory only counts if we go on and beat Lecce and we confirm that we are indeed improving.
00:54We also need to make up ground on other teams and that's why this is all very important,
01:01in order to have the motivation to win tomorrow night.
01:09I think this is a potential banana skin. It's a dangerous game that comes after the derby.
01:14We need to be switched on because I know that when you win an important match,
01:21it becomes tougher in the next game afterwards.
01:26But this is a time when we can't afford to make a mistake. We need to win.
01:31Sky, how much did it come down to tactics and psychology within your team?
01:39You were very brave, everyone thought that you could defend, but you actually attacked.
01:46The barbecue, you writing courage in the dressing room,
01:50do you think that the psychological factor might have weighed more heavily in the balance as opposed to tactics?
01:57I don't want to break over the derby.
02:03I think that game has been and gone and it was over once I left the stadium.
02:14But the mental side of things is very important at this moment in time.
02:17Perhaps it is more significant than technique or tactics.
02:22Matches are hugely emotional and I think being right in your mind,
02:30being balanced, having the right energy for a game is hugely important.
02:35My second and final question, now you have two matches coming up,
02:39one which is tricky in the Champions League and then you're off to Florence.
02:44But the idea now is to try and pick the same starting XI.
02:48Are you going to make changes or are you going to kick on with this personnel
02:52to make sure that you're able to find your feet on the pitch?
02:59As I said, we want to be consistent and in order to be consistent,
03:04if we can do, then of course we'll pick the same starting XI.
03:08Yes, tomorrow we have a question mark over Alvaro Morata,
03:13who has picked up a knock and he sustained that in training.
03:21But now is the time to show continuity in terms of what we've done.
03:27We have this question mark, we'll see what happens tomorrow.
03:30Good afternoon, Gaffer.
03:34You were talking about the importance of being fit and firing mentally.
03:42Perhaps a possible blemish is that Rafael Llewellyn is not necessarily motivated.
03:49Do you agree with that or not?
03:51Do you need to try and get him back to his best?
03:54His ability is undoubted.
03:59We're working a great deal on an individual basis with Rafael Llewellyn as well,
04:05defensively, and I think it's obvious for all to see that everyone can notice
04:11that Rafael Llewellyn is working very well defensively,
04:14he's defending, he's tracking back.
04:16Of course, he can do better, he can improve,
04:19but he is also getting better.
04:23I think we defend it as a team, and when I talk about a team,
04:26that means all of the players, Rafa included.
04:32There is a change, but Rafa has had three opportunities to be a match winner.
04:41I think that's a good thing.
04:44There is a change, but Rafa has had three opportunities to be a match winner.
04:59I don't think this is going to limit Rafa's ability to be a match winner,
05:02the fact he's working more defensively.
05:04I think that Rafa is doing a good job.
05:08He's playing as part of a team,
05:12and that's the most important thing at this moment in time.
05:19Good afternoon, Gaffer. Thank you.
05:22I wanted to ask you about Tami Abraham.
05:24Perhaps no one expected him to have such a big impact both on and off the pitch.
05:29He was encouraging his teammates.
05:33It feels like he might have added to leadership charisma personality
05:40that Milan were lacking last season.
05:42And as for Alvaro Morata,
05:46is there another striker that could do Morata's job,
05:49or would it be someone like Loftus-Cheek or Reinders coming in instead of Morata?
05:54I'll start with the second question.
05:57Luka Jovic isn't a striker with the skill set to play that particular role.
06:05If we can't pick Alvaro Morata, then maybe Loftus-Cheek or Tijani Reinders
06:10could play in that position.
06:14As for Tami Abraham,
06:19Tami has an infectious enthusiasm, and that's important.
06:27Bringing this energy is hugely important.
06:31Having players like Abraham and Morata that provide that ambition,
06:35that energy to the team is significant.
06:38It's not only during matches themselves, but it's also on the training ground too.
06:45It's not only a case of technical and tactical ability,
06:48but it also comes down to their energy and the way in which he works for the team.
06:57Tami is a player who's really fit in well, he's working very well indeed.
07:04Good afternoon, Paolo, thank you.
07:06Right from day one, you have never shied away from the fact
07:11that there's a lot of work to be done in this team
07:14in order to get them playing the sort of football you want to see.
07:18But as of today, how close is the Milan side to what you see
07:2650%, 60%? I don't know.
07:30But we're a long way off.
07:31We're a long way off.
07:39I don't think the team has improved a great deal defensively.
07:48I don't think we're yet close to what I think this team can produce in terms of potential.
07:54Defensively, I would have liked to have seen a little bit more,
07:57but it's the attributes of the individual players, their skill set.
08:02I think we have made strides,
08:06but in an attacking sense, I think we really need to improve a great deal.
08:13We're working to do just that, but we have a lot still to improve upon.
08:19Gazzetta dello Sport.
08:23Good afternoon, Gaffer.
08:26There are some matches which can occasionally change the course of a season for a team,
08:33and for Milan, that match might be the derby from last Sunday.
08:38You came into the press conference room last week and you said you were optimistic.
08:44It wasn't an easy time, but you were on the back of that Liverpool loss.
08:48I wanted to know whether you've seen even more positive faces this week
08:54compared with what you saw last week, because last week you said the team had trained well,
08:59and whether this win over Inter, besides sending out an important message
09:03in terms of the team's morale, could also be a message to your rivals in the title race
09:09for those who are already taking Milan out of the possible conversation after what was a sluggish start.
09:17Clearly wins, and it had been a long time since Milan won a derby,
09:23but these victories, of course, imbue you with confidence when it comes to the mood at work.
09:39But that's the way I am. I always try and be very balanced in my analysis.
09:46Of course, one game can change things, one game can help with the players' confidence levels,
09:52but it's only one match. If we don't win tomorrow, then we can fall back.
10:01That's why I think we need to forget the derby, we need to focus on our next game,
10:12which is always the most important one. I can't see things in a different way.
10:20Yes, there's a lot of happiness, there's a very positive mood in the camp, and that is important.
10:25However, it's also very important to understand that the derby has been and gone.
10:32It's in the past, it no longer matters. It was important, but the most important thing is the future.
10:41As for the Scudetto, I keep saying what I've said right since day one.
10:48We, as Milan, have to think about the Scudetto, we can't think about anything else,
10:54and we keep thinking about the Scudetto.
10:58Good afternoon, Gaffer. I wanted to ask two things.
11:02First, you went a few years without coaching in Italy.
11:07Are you surprised by the fact that before the derby, you were considered by part of the fan base
11:17and by a number of critics that you were on the brink of being sacked,
11:21and then after the game, you were considered a genius.
11:24Did you expect Italian football to be like this?
11:29Yes, we Latin people are like this, the Portuguese are the same.
11:37I worked in a club that was exactly like that.
11:45If you win, you're the best.
11:48If you lose, there's a word that I'd rather not say.
12:01I did exactly the same as what I did over the course of the last few weeks.
12:07At times, when you're not doing well, you don't want to read anything,
12:12because it's not nice to see things.
12:17But when you win, then things are different, but nothing's changed for me.
12:21I haven't looked at anything, I haven't read anything.
12:26I'll be exactly the same way I always am, nothing's changed for me.
12:31We'll keep working hard.
12:34We need to keep learning, getting better.
12:38That's what matters most to me.
12:40In the past, when I was in Portugal, I went out of the stadium,
12:50I think my son was 12 or 13 at the time, he said to me,
12:55hey dad, the fans are angry with you, and I always said the same thing.
13:04I said, these fans that are angry with me today will be applauding me tomorrow.
13:12And then they'll be the same supporters again.
13:14That's only natural in football.
13:17Football's all about emotions.
13:20It's about having good times and bad times.
13:24You're happy when you win, you're sad when you lose.
13:28Being a supporter is being exactly like that.
13:33Supporters are not balanced.
13:36I need to stay on an even keel because I'm their head coach.
13:39That's what I have to do.
13:41But I understand the fact that the fans are irrational.
13:45It's all about the love for their team.
13:47It's the love for football supporters.
13:50I completely get that.
13:53And I have absolutely no negative thoughts towards the people that weren't with me
14:00and now are on the bandwagon.
14:04I have no negative thoughts towards them because I know that's the way things work.
14:08The second question I wanted to ask is as follows.
14:13Now you're heading into a period where a team that has a lot of fans
14:18Now you're heading into a period where a team that has a lot of ambitions like Milan
14:23need to also think about rotating the team.
14:27How do you conceive of squad rotation?
14:33It's the first time that I've actually seen you work here in Milan.
14:36So I'd like to ask you, is that something you have to do?
14:39Something you should do?
14:43I like to rotate the team because I have faith in all of my players.
14:49But we need to understand when the time is to do it.
14:56Now is not the time to make too many wholesale changes.
15:00Now is the time to have continuity, to stabilise the team.
15:09In future, if we have the option, I'd like to do so because there are so many games to play.
15:14I'm sure that we can't play with the same team three times a week.
15:27I think that when we are a proper team at all times, it will be easier to change things
15:33because then you can change two or three players and you won't necessarily even notice it.
15:39But when we're not at this stage, the team that I think we can become,
15:43it's harder to actually make changes.
15:47We're trying to become this team first and foremost
15:49so that then we can have the option and the possibility to change things.
15:53And when you do tweak things, then there won't necessarily be a noticeable change.
15:59Good afternoon, Gaffer.
16:00I wanted to ask you, in terms of the centre-back pairing,
16:04we were a little bit surprised by Gabbia starting alongside Samori and you left out Pavlovic.
16:09Are you looking for a first-choice centre-back pairing or do you plan to rotate them?
16:15And above all, what are you looking for?
16:17Their ability to build out from the back or their ability to mark opposition players?
16:21I'm not overly worried about that in my mind at the moment.
16:34I'm not thinking about changing things.
16:36Matteo Gabbia is playing because he deserves to play.
16:40Yes, he's one of the best centre-backs that we have in terms of building out from the back,
16:46waiting for the opposition, enticing them and choosing the pass.
16:52But Gabbia is also a defender that's also able to command the defensive line,
17:00knows when to drop in, to squeeze up, to attack.
17:05He's very good in terms of his positional sense, Matteo Gabbia.
17:10And I think it's important to actually establish and stabilise the defensive line at this moment in time.
17:20And Gabbia is doing a very good job.
17:22Gabbia and Samori will start tomorrow night's game to try and have that continuity in terms of team selection.
17:30As for Bayer Leverkusen, we'll see what team to pick.
17:33Good afternoon, Gaffer.
17:35Earlier on, you said, I know how these games go.
17:41You know, you win these big matches and you know what happens in players' minds.
17:46So maybe you're worried about the players being overly euphoric.
17:50Is it harder to actually win a game like this,
17:56is it harder to actually win a game like the derby,
18:02or is it actually harder to then follow up and win the derby,
18:05because there's a greater responsibility on you after that win?
18:09There's always the same responsibility here at Milan.
18:13I think the hardest thing to manage are wins.
18:21And why?
18:24I think that's only natural.
18:32The team's motivation and the players' motivation, that's what it comes down to.
18:42I know in the week leading up to the derby, on the eve of the derby against Inter,
18:48I knew that it was a match where the players were really motivated.
18:52They were mentally ready for the game itself.
18:56What's dangerous in a potential Donnarna skin today is now they're up against Lecce.
19:04And in the players' mind, it's not as difficult as it would be against Inter.
19:12So that's the hardest thing to do, to actually manage that,
19:15to make the players realise that we need to produce the same performance.
19:19We have to play in the same way.
19:23That's what the hardest thing is to manage at this moment in time,
19:26in terms of the players' actual motivation.
19:29Gazetta.it.
19:31A very practical question, Gaffer, about Morata.
19:34Based on what you said earlier, it's not clear as to whether he won't be picked
19:40so that he can be fit for the Leverkusen game,
19:42or whether you still have to give him a fitness test and he might play tomorrow.
19:46No, Alvaro Morata is available for selection.
19:50We'll wait for tomorrow to see how he is physically.
19:56But all I can say at this moment in time is that he's doubtful.
20:01We don't know whether we can play Morata tomorrow or not.
20:10I don't want to run too many risks and we'd be better off to see how he is.
20:14We don't want to risk losing him for a long period.
20:16We'll see tomorrow.
20:19Good afternoon, Gaffer.
20:21I wanted to ask another question, but I'm interested in what you said earlier on.
20:25You need to have the players realise that they need to produce the same performance against Inter.
20:31You need to do that on the eve of the game.
20:34It is the eve of the game.
20:36Have you managed to do that?
20:37Have you used a different motivational ploy this time around?
20:42No.
20:43We haven't done anything unusual out of the ordinary.
20:47We had a usual team meeting.
20:52But no, we haven't done anything special.
20:55Calciomercato.com.
20:58Good afternoon, Gaffer.
20:59Earlier on you spoke about the need to stabilise the team in order to then be able to rely on the entire squad
21:05because you trust the whole squad.
21:08In terms of attributes, Josef Fanas is getting better.
21:11He looks sharper as well physically.
21:14Is he unique in terms of his skill set within the squad?
21:17There are no other players that have the same qualities that can provide that balance in front of the back four.
21:22And another question about an individual player, Samuel Chukwese.
21:26Is he being penalised at the moment by the former Christian Pulisic
21:31or does he need to improve in terms of the way you see the game of football?
21:37We don't currently have Ismael Benasseur because he sustained that injury
21:42and he can play that role.
21:45But I think Younes Moussa can also play that position.
21:50The difference between Moussa and Fofana is that Fofana is more of a passing footballer
21:59whereas Moussa is a player who likes to dribble and carry it a bit more.
22:05We need Moussa also to be that ability to actually play the pass,
22:11to seek out an opponent further up the pitch in the space we want.
22:14What was the second question? Ah, about Chukwese.
22:21Chukwu had a very good pre-season.
22:29In matches where there was space, we played against some top sides,
22:33there was a lot more space in which to move.
22:38But when we came here, we played against Torino, then we're up against Lazio.
22:46I don't think Chukwu played as well as he did in those pre-season friendlies.
22:54But I don't think it's an issue that pertains to his ability,
22:57I think it comes down to confidence.
23:00Chukwese needs to feel confident and he needs to play within this context.
23:07He needs to play in Serie A where there is no space,
23:10where he needs to make decisions quickly,
23:14where he needs to time his runs correctly.
23:18He's starting to grasp that, he's getting better.
23:22I think he looked good off the bench against Inter.
23:25But he also came on when the game was stretched and there was a lot of space,
23:29but he also needs to improve in matches like the game tomorrow night
23:35where there's less space, where we have to play in the last 30 or 40 yards of the pitch.
23:39I think that's where he needs to make strides.
23:43Good afternoon, Gaffer.
23:46You said that you are a fan of squad rotation,
23:49but there is a right and wrong time to do it.
23:52There is a right and wrong time to do so.
23:54I don't want to talk about one player as opposed to another.
23:57I'm going to try and guess.
24:00But there's one player who is irreplaceable in your side, Tijani Reinders.
24:06In terms of rotation, which player is closest to Reinders in terms of his skillset?
24:17I think we all agree that Tigi is a unique player in our squad.
24:22He's different.
24:27There's not another player with the same attributes as Tigi in the squad.
24:31But I haven't thought too far ahead in terms of the future.
24:35I've only thought about our next game.
24:40And after that, we'll see.
24:41If Tigi were to be missing for one match, we'll see what we can come up with.
24:48But I have to say that Tigi is a very important player in our squad
24:51and he's not easily replaceable.
24:54Sartorio.
24:55Good afternoon, Gaffer.
24:57I wanted to ask you about Emerson Royale,
25:00who was one of the players that was most criticised this summer,
25:05one of the signings that's been most maligned,
25:07and yet he produced a great response in the derby, both defensively and going forward.
25:13Is this the Emerson Royale player that Milan were looking for,
25:16or can he still improve a great deal?
25:22I have no doubts that offensively...
25:26We need to remember that Emerson Royale joined up with us late.
25:30He didn't have too many training sessions with us
25:32and he's missed a lot of defensive training sessions in terms of defensive shape.
25:40I think that's been his biggest issue.
25:43It's where he's encountered most difficulties, is defensively,
25:46and that's where he can improve.
25:48One-v-one situations, situations when there's space,
25:53he can improve defensively,
25:56because going forward, I think he's a very good footballer.
26:00Bressi.
26:01Good afternoon, Gaffer.
26:02I wanted to come back to Tshijani Reinders,
26:06because he played in the two-man central midfield in the derby,
26:10but he had a lot of space ahead of him.
26:14Previously, there was Loftus-Cheek or another ten ahead of him.
26:17Yes, Morata played a little bit deeper,
26:19but he was a striker, so he would tend to run in behind,
26:22and Reinders was able to drive into that space, dribbling the ball.
26:26Could that be a crucial move?
26:31How did it feel for you, seeing Morata and Gabbia hug you after the goal?
26:41No, it means that, you know, that was when we won the game.
26:44I think it's only natural in terms of reaction.
26:48It was a moment of joy, of euphoria.
26:54It was a very euphoric moment.
27:00As for Tshijani Reinders,
27:02Tshijani can play anywhere across the midfield.
27:08I think Tshijani is also important when we have to press.
27:12I think he needs to tuck in alongside Fofana to give us another option.
27:20I think Tshijani also plays very well between the lines.
27:28He's a player who can play a lot of different roles.
27:33He's a player who can play in a number of different positions within the team.
27:45He had an excellent game.
27:49There are things he still needs to work on,
27:53but I think Tshijani can play in a number of different positions.
27:55Final question, Carlo Pellegatti. Good afternoon.
28:02I'll put them all into one question,
28:04otherwise I get a yellow card from the press officer.
28:06Fernando Pessoa, the writer,
28:09a great Portuguese,
28:11wrote about the hour of the devil,
28:15and I wanted to know whether you want to be the second Portuguese
28:18to write the hour of the devil.
28:20And you took on board great responsibility
28:24because you said that the Milan side we saw against Inter
28:27is still a long way off what you're considering Milan to be.
28:32Given that that was one of your best performances of 2024,
28:36Guardiola needs to be concerned if you still have big room for improvement.
28:45As for Fernando Pessoa,
28:47he was a great Portuguese writer,
28:51but I haven't read any of his work.
28:58I ask you about Fado, you say you like rock.
29:01I ask you about Fernando Pessoa, you haven't read anything of him,
29:04so it looks like I need to study a bit more.
29:07Are you actually Portuguese or not?
29:15No, we study Pessoa at school.
29:22I don't want to say what I think,
29:24otherwise the Portuguese will kill me already.
29:27We're on shaky ground with Fado.
29:31But I like reading other things.
29:36And as for Pep Guardiola?
29:44When I say that the team still has big room for improvement,
29:50when I say that the team still has big strides to make offensively,
30:00I talk about what Milan's style of play should look like.
30:08If we look at the Inter game,
30:13what I saw, I've watched it back,
30:16is that the team were very compact defensively.
30:20We didn't allow Inter to play their usual game.
30:33We had possession, but there wasn't a lot of time
30:37where we actually built play.
30:39We had a lot of transitional situations.
30:42What we actually did was we won the ball back
30:44and then we broke at pace.
30:46What I'm talking about,
30:50and I don't think we have lots of games this season
30:54like we faced against Inter,
31:02I've seen some top teams in Italy
31:04that defend very well with low blocks,
31:07but I think that is the situation that Milan find themselves in.
31:11Maybe we'll be on top for 85% of the time
31:14and 85% of our matches will be very different
31:17to the way that Inter set up.
31:19And I think that's where we need to improve.
31:22It's oppositional play.
31:24We need to be a team that dominates up there.
31:27We need to have the patience.
31:29We mustn't lose the ball.
31:31We go back and forth,
31:33we need to improve up there.
31:35Because I think a team like Milan,
31:37it's only natural in games like that,
31:39but I think Milan need to be a team
31:41that's playing in the opposition half
31:43as much as possible.
31:45That's what I want to see.
31:47I think that's what I think the team can improve upon.
31:50Yes, we had more ball possession than Inter,
31:56but in the first phase,
31:58we didn't link up well further up the pitch
32:01in terms of our shape.
32:03Yes, we were very good in offensive transition,
32:07we were able to beat the press
32:09and then create these opportunities,
32:12but almost all of our chances
32:14came through offensive transitions.
32:16And that's why I say that we have a lot to improve upon.
32:20And I just wanted to say
32:22that we need to improve upon that.
32:25And I just wanted to say
32:28you were supposed to bring us the pastéis de nata,
32:33and yet Letizia and I have actually brought them
32:36to celebrate the Milan derby.
32:39So if you want to have one,
32:41then you and the colleagues can sample one.
32:43Ah, you brought them here?
32:45Ah, thank you very much.
32:46Ah, no, I was supposed to bring them.
32:48No, when you win the second game,
32:50then you can treat us to pastéis de nata.
32:55I thought you were now going to invite me horse riding.
33:01One time I will invite you to lunch,
33:03but we'll only talk about horse racing.
33:05Okay, let's do it. Away we go.