Stefano Pioli believes AC Milan should finish inside Serie A’s top four “as a minimum” ahead of their trip Atalanta on Saturday.
The 2021-22 champions reignite their bid for a second Scudetto in three years when they face Atalanta, who find themselves in eighth.
Pioli emphasised the importance of a win if they are to heap pressure on Inter and Juventus in first and second.
“There’s still a lot of football to be played before everything is decided, but we do need to put together a run of results in Serie A,” Pioli said.
“That’s what we’re aiming for. It’s our objective and tomorrow we have a great chance to do just that.
“We need to finish in the top four at a minimum but we’re aiming higher.”
Atalanta are without a win in four after Monday’s 3-0 defeat at Torino.
But Pioli refused to overlook Milan’s opponents and predicted they will bring the fight at Gewiss Stadium.
“Atalanta are always a tough team to face,” he added.
“They’ll fight for Champions League football until the end.
“We’ll be facing a complete side, which has quality, a big presence, intensity and midfielders who can chip in with a few goals.
“We know that they have it in them to come at us with aggression and we’ll have to adapt to evade their press.
“We’ll need to put in a top performance if we’re to come away with all three points.”
Pioli pinpointed the threat of Atalanta’s Charles De Ketelaere who is on loan from Milan and is contention to play against his parent club.
“De Ketelaere is playing in a more attacking role, Pioli said.
“He’s a player with a lot of promise and should he play, we’ll need to pay a lot of attention to him when we’re defending.”
Pioli says he 'raised expectations' for Milan; Juric to leave Torino
Stefano Pioli has reminded critics of how things have improved for Milan since he took over five years ago amid speculation about his job.
Milan suffered a 3-1 defeat to Torino on Saturday, meaning they have won just one of their last eight games in all competitions.
Pioli, who led the Rossoneri to the Scudetto in 2022, is under contract until 2025 but has come under increasing pressure in recent weeks despite securing second place.
However, Milan currently sit 18 points behind rivals Inter, who secured the league title after their derby win in April, and exited the Europa League after a 3-1 aggregate defeat to Roma in the quarter-final.
"Over these years, we raised everyone's expectations and now people act like second place is suddenly shoddy," Pioli told DAZN. "You know full well that is not the case. Only one team can win.
"It was a good season; we were the best of the 'normal' teams behind an Inter side who did something extraordinary.
"Our regrets are in the Champions League and Europa League, but that's what those tournaments are like, if you don't take your chance in that moment, you can go out.
"I arrived with Milan in one situation, and I leave – if I leave – with Milan in quite another. The rest is just lots of talk and not much content."
Meanwhile, Ivan Juric says he intends to leave Torino when his contract expires at the end of the season.
Since taking over in 2021, Juric has led Torino to two top-half finishes and looks to do so again with the club currently sitting in ninth and in contention for a European place.
Despite a successful spell in charge, Juric says there is no reason to stay, even if they finish in the top eight.
"No, there simply aren’t the right conditions to continue here," he told Sky Sports Italia. "I would like more joy and there isn't joy here.
"You try to change things, but after a while, you realise it’s pointless. It was right for us to try to go for Europe, we had a fantastic three years."
Milan will finish their season at home to already-relegated Salernitana, while Torino travel to Atalanta on May 26.
Montero to coach Juventus until end of the season
Paolo Montero will take charge of Serie A side Juventus for the remainder of the season following the dismissal of Massimiliano Allegri.
Juventus sacked their former head coach Allegri on Friday over his behaviour during and after this week's Coppa Italia final in which he was sent off, ending a long period of speculation over his future.
Montero, who coaches Juventus' Under-19s team, will take charge for their remaining two matches, at Bologna on Monday and against Monza at home on May 26.
The 52-year-old Uruguayan won four Serie A titles playing for Juventus as a defender from 1996 to 2005 and will take his first training session on Sunday.
"Paolo is a Juventus legend, firstly on the pitch, and someone who has long been a bearer of the club's DNA on the bench," Juve said in a statement.
"Best of luck, Paolo!"
Juve are assured of Champions League qualification but could still finish between third and fifth in Serie A this season.
Guardiola: Foden can still get better after Player of the Year award
Pep Guardiola thinks Phil Foden can still get better, after the 23-year-old winning the Premier League’s Player of the Year.
Foden has been a pivotal part of City’s title challenge this season, scoring 17 goals and providing eight assists in the top-flight in 2023-24.
It is the youngster’s most prolific scoring season for City, while only six players have bettered Foden’s goal haul in the Premier League.
When asked about the strides that Foden has made this season, leading him to the award, Guardiola praised the England international’s influence on the squad.
"Obviously, he makes a step forward as a football player. In terms of minutes or time, but he's decisive in winning games," Guardiola said.
"Maybe before it was a glimpse of action, but now it's consistent. That is the truth, but they still have a margin. Sometimes his game is overexcited, it's over, and you have to be more calm because his excitement he has for himself, but we'll have question of time, but this season has been really, really important. Really, really important."
Foden has bettered his tally of 11 goals from last season and leads City’s squad for chances created this campaign with 68.
"He's moving forward, but I had the feeling he can be better, and I think he can do it because I've said many times, that he loves football," Guardiola added.
"He enjoys being on the pitch, and I think the feeling doesn't like when you have the day off.
"He likes to be in the training session doing less or more and I had the feeling it still can be better."
Manchester City can win a fourth-consecutive Premier League title on Sunday against West Ham, if they can match or better Arsenal's result.
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