Allegri discusses Pulisic’s issue, importance of ‘balance’, Lazio’s strengths and Maignan’s future

AC Milan boss Massimiliano Allegri insists his side must not get carried away after winning the derby, especially with a very tough opponent up next in Lazio.

Milan are riding the crest of a wave heading into Saturday’s home match against Lazio, having beaten Inter in the derby in round 12. The only goal of the game came from Christian Pulisic early in the second half, but it was Mike Maignan who stole the headlines with an MVP-worthy performance.

Lazio arrive at San Siro having improved after a rocky start to the season. They have won three of their last five in the league, and have kept clean sheets in five of their last six. The Rossoneri have a couple of injury worries too: it has emerged that Christian Pulisic and Alexis Saelemaekers are both doubts.

Allegri on injuries, Lazio and post-derby adrenaline

Allegri spoke to the reporters who gathered at Milanello on Thursday afternoon for his pre-match press conference two days before the game. His comments are via MilanNews.

Is there a danger of a drop-off after the derby?

“It’s natural that the Milan derby is important – it gives you a great adrenaline rush. We mustn’t lose sight of our ultimate goal: getting into the top four. Seven teams are currently within seven points, with Lazio coming back, they were underestimated, and Sarri is doing a great job.

“They haven’t made any moves in the transfer market, they’ve had injuries, and Saturday will be a tough match for us because they’re a well-organised team that seems to give you the best, but they don’t give you much. They have a chance of getting back into the Champions League.

“The derby win was wonderful, but that’s enough. It’s Thursday, another important match on Saturday: three points would allow us to take a small step towards our goal.”

Photos: Marco Luzzani + Claudio Villa/Getty Images

What do you expect from Lazio as an opponent?

“We should approach every match as if we were facing great teams. Lazio have won many trophies in the last 10 years, they are a team that has played in the Champions League, they are worthy and well-coached.”

Can you give us an injury update?

“Pulisic is unlikely to be available, but anything can happen tomorrow and the same thing the day after. Saelemaekers is fine, and Gimenez should start slowly returning to the team next week. Everyone else is fine.”

Is the next month crucial?

“It’s been a great month, with the Coppa Italia against Roma also on the horizon. The Coppa Italia is a goal, and Rome is always a great place to be in May. Then there’s the Supercoppa, which won’t be easy. But let’s take it one step at a time – tomorrow’s match against Lazio will be different from the Coppa Italia.”

Leao continues his search for striker-level numbers…

“For now, he’s at four if I’m not mistaken. It’s not like I’m transforming Leao, he has the qualities to be a centre-forward. He needs to get used to attacking the goal more when the ball is outside and coming out of the box less.

“He’s changing: he’s much more involved in the game and helps the team when it comes to doing the dirty work. This is what great players look like: when they put their skills to work for the team.”

Why is Nkunku struggling?

“He arrived at the end of August, then went to the national team twice, and that’s a step forward. I didn’t expect more. I expect him to reach his full potential in the future. He comes from a different league, he needed to train.

“I’m confident in him, as I am in everyone else. Jashari is also returning to the team, and Odogu went to the U23s yesterday to get some minutes. The important thing is to have everyone available so we can raise the level of competition in training.”

How ready is Jashari?

“In terms of characteristics, he can play in front of the defense or in the two midfielders, depending on how the midfield third plays. He has great character, he’s very eager, Milan made a good signing. Then he got injured, now he’s recovered but he lacks playing time.

“But he was already sidelined before the injury: he hasn’t played a game in three and a half months. It’s a question of match rhythm, coordination on the ball and movement.”

Can Ricci break the Fofana-Modric-Rabiot midfield trio?

“They’ve played more right now, but Ricci has also played a lot. He’s an important player; when you call on him, whether he’s starting or finishing, he’s always ready. He’s an added value, and everyone needs to be like that.

“There are players who haven’t played as much, like Loftus-Cheek and Nkunku, but it’s important to keep everyone focused on the goal and make everyone available to the team for the final objective, knowing that it’s absolutely not easy.

“This year, there are so many teams so close after 12 matchdays, with 6-7 points. If the derby had gone badly, we would have been 5 points back, which isn’t a lot, but we would have seen things differently. That’s why I say we need to have balance.”

Photos by AC Milan

How important is Saelemaekers?

“Saelemakers has improved in terms of performance: on Sunday he had his best performance this year, he was tough on both a technical and tactical level.

“Against Napoli, for example, after the goal he made a bit of a mess: he needs to find this balance because he has significant room for improvement, and he’s also selfless.”

Maignan was decisive on Sunday, could he renew?

“Mike has always been one of the best goalkeepers around. So I’m not surprised by his performance. As for his contract, it’s the club that handles it. They’re working to give this team a future and stability in the coming years.

“I talk to Mike, but I talk to him on the pitch. And Filippi, his coach, also talks to us about this. I’m happy, I see him at peace: he’s confirming his qualities.”

You asked Rabiot three times a day when he was coming back. What do you ask Pulisic?

“Pulisic’s interpretation is difficult, it’s like a crossword puzzle… You ask him one thing… But he’s a golden boy (laughs, ed.). With Rabiot it was different, the soleus is dangerous… It went well like this.”

Milan are the team with the fewest substitutions in Serie A. What does that mean?

“Absolutely not a small squad. We’ve been missing Rabiot, Pulisic, and Estupinan in the last month. Sometimes substitutions are needed, but sometimes they’re not needed, or you make them just for the sake of it, and that’s not good.

“Substitutions should be made when needed; sometimes there aren’t any matches where they’re not needed.”

Could you be a bit better at playing out under pressure?

“We work every day to improve all technical and tactical situations. Against Inter, we had situations where we could have improved our final passes and our delivery of the ball. We’re working on improving that. But sometimes it’s also a bit of an emotional issue.”

Is anything needed in January to reach your targets?

“In the last month, five players have returned from the national team, practically dead. I couldn’t let them play. The squad size is right. The club is working to plan like the Milan of recent years.

“January is a strange transfer window… Bringing in players who aren’t needed… We have players who are growing and who can give us much more in the second half of the season.”

What does Loftus-Cheek give you?

“He can play as a second striker, a winger, or a midfielder. He has enormous potential. He’s a very serious guy, very professional in his work. I’m very happy; he’s reliable, and that’s very important to me.”

The famous ‘if they swapped goalkeepers’ narrative has emerged after the derby…

“You can’t swap the goalkeepers; one is signed for Milan and one is signed for Inter. Maignan’s first save [on Thuram] was easy, then everything gets overplayed. We had great respect for Inter; they’re the strongest team in the league along with Napoli.

“We’ve both had favourable situations. We’re working to improve some situations, that’s normal. Then, when we’re on the pitch, we have to understand that we can never lower the bar, which is what we did against Cremonese, Pisa, and Parma.

“When we don’t have the ball, we have to play defensively as a team. When I see Leao on Sunday doing his best to lend a hand, then I see we’re on the right track. But that doesn’t mean everything’s settled.

“We’re on matchday 12, which means we still need 51 points to qualify for the Champions League. But it also means the Scudetto odds can be lower if the Champions League odds are higher…”

What can Bartesaghi improve on?

“In the experience of playing matches. He has such strong and distinct qualities that he can only improve.”

What choices will you make based on training?

“I don’t know either. You’ll find me unprepared on Thursday, the first time in 20 years I’ve given a press conference two days early. There are still two training sessions, so you have to be patient.”

Any adjectives for your Milan?

“A team that wants to get a result, and understands that when they have the ball they have to try to score, and we had many clear chances to score, against Inter the quality of our crossing needed to be improved.

“But one thing we must not lose is that when we don’t have the ball there is no shame in defending. Defenders must have a taste for defending, not to be outplayed. They must have a taste for dueling with each other, and the boys are growing in this respect.”