At 20.45 oin the field Milan-Atalanta DIRECT
We would go astray by downgrading the match against Atalanta to a simple test, given that for those behind Napoli "the ranking is very short", explains Stefano Pioli.
But it is clear that after the Goddess, the gaze is aimed at the Olympus of football, with the match against Tottenham on 8 March which is even worth something more.
In between, the match in Florence on Saturday the 4th: 180 minutes of prelude to the score of Champions League music.
The AC Milan coach finds Mike Maignan as starter again against Atalanta, he had been missing since 18 September, the home match against Spalletti's team.
Five abundant months away from the field "that he lived like a lion in a cage", reveals the coach.
"But now he's fine and will play. It's clear that he will need to pick up his pace", continues Pioli.
aware of the necessary break-in also in view of that return of the round of 16 in London that he never mentions.
"We expect a lot from Mike, it's evident that last year he was the best goalkeeper. He gives us a lot, in different situations, I see him as very motivated".
Gasperini against Pioli, yet another act.
From the 5-0 Bergamo win on 22 December 2019 to Sunday evening at the San Siro, Atalanta's opponents Milan added a Scudetto and the recent tactical revision: "It seems to me that he was defending with a threesome also in Bologna. This time, in a difficult moment , he took other paths and the results proved him right".
The remote premise from colleague to colleague does not only affect strategy, because the Nerazzurri coach has an accident to leave behind and horizons yet to be discovered.
"The defeat against Lecce bothered us a lot, also because we always seemed late, so we're looking for redemption. Faced with a hole we hit, should we be disappointed because we're a big team or, on the contrary, satisfied to be among the big teams?" , He says.
Probable formations
Milan (3-4-2-1): 1 Tatarusanu;
20 Kalulu, 28 Tiaw, 23 Tomori;
30 Messias, 33 Krunic, 8 Tonali, 19 Theo Hernandez;
10 Diaz, 17 Leah;
9 Giroud.
(16 Maignan, 83 Mirante, 5 Ballo-Touré, 7 Adli, 11 Ibrahimovic, 12 Rebic, 21 Dest, 24 Kjaer, 25 Florenzi, 27 Origi, 32 Pobega, 40 Vranckx, 46 Gabbia, 56 Saelemaekers, 90 De Ketelaere) All .: Pioli.
Disqualified: none Beware: Calabria, Leao, Giroud, Rebic, Kjaer, Krunic Unavailable: Calabria, Bennacer.
Atalanta (3-4-1-2): 1 Musso;
2 Toloi, 6 Palomino, 42 Scalvini;
77 Zappacosta, 15 De Roon, 7 Koopmeiners, 3 Maehle;
13 Edersons;
17 Hojlund, 11 Lookman.
(31 Rossi, 57 Sportiello, 5 Okoli, 19 Djimsiti, 22 Ruggeri, 93 Soppy, 45 Muhameti, 10 Boga, 23 Vorlicky, 9 Muriel).
All.: Gasperini.
Disqualified: Demiral. Be wary: nobody.
Unavailable: Hateboer, Pasalic, Zapata Referee: Mariani di Aprilia Odds Snai: 2.20;
3.35;
3.40.