Milan-Atalanta on the pitch at 8.45pm
Milan go "to the dentist" at San Siro and face "annoying" Atalanta, as Stefano Pioli defined them in the press conference, quoting a famous phrase by Pep Guardiola about the Bergamo players.
A game that was anything but simple for Milan, fresh from the insignificant defeat against Rennes but still a defeat and the large defeat against Monza.
The match with the Goddess is a direct clash for the Champions League zone: seven points separate the two teams, with Atalanta still having to recover the match against Inter.
"It's an important match for the league table - admits Pioli - to get back to winning ways. It won't be easy. We, Atalanta and Inter are the teams that have scored the most points in the last period. We will face a team in form. They they're fine but so are we, they've already defeated us twice and we'll try to do better."
In the first leg in Bergamo, Milan found themselves behind twice, managed to rebalance the match and then collapsed in injury time with Muriel's goal.
The defensive blackouts were already causing concern and it is a trend that the Rossoneri have not yet improved.
"Atalanta is not only strong on the counterattacks but has many solutions. We will have to be compact, attentive and aggressive. We will have to try to hurt Atalanta because we have the characteristics to do so", explains Pioli confidently.
Special observation is given to Lookman who scored a brace in the first leg and seems recovered for the match at San Siro.
However, it is difficult to know the conditions of the Rossoneri team.
Pioli decides to hold a conference early in the morning, before training, to avoid questions about the players' fitness after the Europa League match.
He will do the same after Slavia Prague, taking his time before making judgements.
"I don't know anything yet. Yesterday we recovered, today I will understand more about the condition of the team. Kalulu is well, I will talk to him and we will see whether to call him up. Tomori is a little further behind but he is fine too. Calabria should also train as a group today", explains the technician.
The attack will certainly be entrusted to Olivier Giroud who rested against Rennes in favor of Jovic, suspended for the matches against Atalanta and Lazio.
However, at San Siro it will be clear whether choosing the starters for the European match has not compromised the performance in the championship as already happened with Monza.
Pioli certainly still believes he can do well in the league as in Europe.
"We want to be protagonists in both competitions. What did I think when Slavia Prague went out? Nothing - reveals the coach - I wasn't even worried about facing Bayer Leverkusen straight away. It won't be easy because Slavia won the group ahead of Roma , but the fate in the Europa League depends on us and not on our opponents. We have to believe it. Did I say that Atalanta were among the favorites for the trophy? Now we too are playing for it like Liverpool and Bayer. Everyone wants to win ".
In the meantime, however, there is a championship to honor and the need to find victory after two defeats.
There is the Goddess at San Siro, an opponent who has always been uncomfortable and who marked the lowest point in December 2019 of the Pioli management.
From there the rebirth began.
Now Milan just have to find themselves and demonstrate the compactness that they have often lacked this year.
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