MY ACCOUNT
Milan head coach Stefano Pioli wants to “write a new page of history” as the Rossoneri chase a first Scudetto in 11 years.
Pioli’s side sit three points clear at the Serie A summit after edging past Cagliari 1-0 on Saturday, their third consecutive victory by that scoreline.
Fellow title contenders Napoli and Inter remain in close company, with Luciano Spalletti’s team three points back and the defending champions six adrift, albeit with a game in hand.
Massimiliano Allegri’s Juventus are also just seven behind the league leaders as Milan nudge towards a first Serie A title since the 2010-11 campaign.
While his players continue to deliver on the pitch, Pioli was keen to credit his relationship with the club’s former centre-back and current technical director Paolo Maldini as the pair look to lay their marker on Italian football.
“I’m lucky to talk to him daily, he’s an indispensable point of reference,” Pioli said at the Expo 2020 in United Arab Emirates, which he is attending with Milan’s academy.
“I’ve always said that I’ve been lucky enough to coach a great group, players who perfectly embody the values of this club. Together, we are trying to write a new page in history.
“After just a few days at Milan, I felt something that I’d never felt anywhere else, I felt immediately at home. That’s what Milan is for me: home. Pressure is part of my job, but it is also motivating because it reminds me that I can always do better.
“During a journey there may be moments when you slow down, but the important thing is to keep going and never stop.
“Our goal is to make our fans happy. That is why we play. We are fortunate to have extraordinary supporters and we will never stop thanking them because their passion has always been contagious.”
Veteran duo Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Olivier Giroud have been integral both off and on the pitch for Milan, and Pioli heaped praise on the pair for their influence this season.
“Milan needs everyone. Zlatan and Olivier know what it means to win and the sacrifices needed to achieve great results. I think this team has great potential,” he added.
“We’ve never ruled out anything, but this is my current opinion, let’s collect more points than last season, let’s play every game as if it were absolutely decisive and then see where we end up.”
Milan will look to continue their title charge after the international break when they host Bologna on Monday, April 4.
