Pioli demands consistency from Milan as coach challenges Leao

By Sports Desk March 12, 2023

Stefano Pioli wants Rafael Leao to lead a Milan resurgence as he warned his team their Champions League run must not come at the expense of a top-four finish.

The Milan head coach said Zlatan Ibrahimovic is not yet ready to start games after making two substitute appearances since returning from major knee surgery.

They cannot therefore look to the inspirational Swedish veteran, but in 23-year-old Portuguese winger Leao they have a proven match-winner and last season's Serie A MVP.

Beaten by Fiorentina in the last round of games, Milan host Salernitana on Monday, and victory would vault them back into the top four.

The Rossoneri were on a high after booking a Champions League quarter-final spot on Wednesday, edging through at Tottenham's expense.

Now Pioli wants them to book another adventure in that competition with a strong finish to their domestic campaign.

"We are aware that we have to focus on the league with attention and determination," Pioli said. "To repeat the feelings we are experiencing in the Champions League, we need to finish in the top four in Serie A, and we are focused on achieving this.

"We need to find the consistency that we have lacked so far. The team is doing well physically, mentally and also tactically. We can still improve a lot and performances like the one in London help us to grow."

Milan drew 0-0 with Tottenham to win through 1-0 on aggregate, and they will learn their next Champions League opponents in Friday's draw.

"Tomorrow we have to be the best Milan possible because it's an important match," Pioli said. "As a team, we must and can improve in our choices.

"Ibra will not start against Salernitana. He is improving his fitness and will be ready to help us.

"Leao is giving us a lot, and he played well in the last few games. We have to serve him better. Rafa is the player with the most freedom of movement, and he has to look for spaces to harm the opponent's defence."

Leao had 11 goals and eight assists in Serie A last term, and he has eight goals and six assists this time around, with ample time to top his 2021-22 totals.

Pioli, quoted on Milan's website, said his Serie A champions of last season need to collectively find some of that Scudetto-winning spark again.

"Compared to last season, we are doing better in Europe, not so much in the league," he said. "The goal is to finish in the Champions League places, and every game will be crucial from now on, because there are fewer and fewer to go.

"Before the quarter-finals, we have four matches – difficult and important ones – to play in Serie A; we cannot look beyond that."

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    Napoli are top of the pile in Serie A, with their 2-0 win over Milan in midweek putting them four points ahead of defending champions Inter in the early season standings. 

    It's a remarkable turnaround from last term, with Napoli finishing 10th in their Scudetto defence, seeing both Rudi Garcia and Walter Mazzarri lose their jobs. 

    After Conte started his Napoli tenure with a 3-0 defeat to Hellas Verona on the opening day of the season, they have gone undefeated in their next nine games. 

    That includes winning the last five league games in a row for the first time since a run of eight under Luciano Spalletti between January and February 2023. 

    This season, only Barcelona (10) have won more games than Napoli (eight) across the top five European leagues, though Conte was reserved when asked about his team's chances of winning the title.

    "I am a man of faith, even practically, and I know only one person who performs them," Conte told a press conference.

    "I always pray, even for the team, that they are well. In addition to my family, there is also a prayer for the players.

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    "Then, football miracles have always happened, but you have to work to hope it happens, it's not enough to pray."

    Napoli welcome Atalanta to the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, with Conte aiming to become the first coach in the club's history to win each of his first six home games in Serie A. 

    Since 2022, Napoli have won four of their five league meetings against Atalanta. In this period, Gian Piero Gasperini's side have only lost more games to Inter (D1 L5). 

    But Atalanta have impressed under Gasperini, winning the Europa League last season with a 3-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen in the final. 

    Gasperini finished behind Luis de la Fuente, Xabi Alonso and winner Carlo Ancelotti for the Men's Johan Cruyff Trophy, an accolade given to football's best coach last season at Monday's Ballon d'Or ceremony. 

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    Inter Miami – Lionel Messi

    Messi carried his fine form into the postseason, notching the assist for Alba’s winning goal against the Five Stripes in Game 1.

    Across the Leagues Cup, US Open Cup, Concacaf Champions Cup and MLS Cup Playoffs, he has appeared in 10 knockout round matches for Inter Miami (single and multi-leg) and contributed to at least one goal in all of them (nine goals, five assists).

    Atlanta United - Pedro Amador

    Amador set up Saba Lobjanidze for Atlanta’s only goal in Game 1 on Friday, his sixth assist for the Five Stripes in the regular season and playoffs since debuting for the club in late August.

    Only Alba (nine) and Riqui Puig (seven) have more assists than Amador in that time (including the playoffs).

    MATCH PREDICTION: INTER MIAMI WIN

    Inter Miami’s victory over Atlanta in Game 1 was the club’s 23rd MLS win of the campaign (regular season and playoffs). The only two teams in the post-shootout era with more wins in a single season, including playoffs, were Atlanta United (25) and the New York Red Bulls (24).

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    Draw – 24.1%

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    Vincent Kompany said he would wait until Saturday to decide whether Eric Dier and Dayot Upamecano are fit enough to return to action for Bayern Munich. 

    Bayern welcome Union Berlin to the Allianz Arena, hoping to maintain their advantage over RB Leipzig at the summit of the Bundesliga standings.

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