MY ACCOUNT
Milan coach Stefano Pioli believes the race for the Scudetto is wide open despite Inter finishing 2021 as Serie A’s ‘Winter champions’.
Inter are four points clear at the top of the table as they bid to retain the title having wrested it from Juventus’ grip last season.
Pioli’s men took advantage of Napoli’s loss at home to Spezia on Wednesday to move into second with a 4-2 win at Empoli.
And, as Serie A heads into its two-week break over the festive period, Pioli sees no reason why Inter cannot be overhauled.
“We won the Winter Champions title last season, but we didn’t end up getting the Scudetto, so it’s all wide open,” Pioli told Sky Sport Italia.
“The objective is to keep improving. We had 66 points the first season, 79 the second, the target is to do better. We reached the midway stage now with one less point than last season, but I continue to believe we can finish with more.
“I keep saying it’s a privilege to have high expectations on us, because it means we earned that pressure. I want to thank our fans and wish them a Merry Christmas, because they are supporting us with extraordinary passion. We hope to do even better in 2022.”
Milan’s victory, which saw Franck Kessie score twice while Alessandro Florenzi and Theo Hernandez were on target, marked a strong response to their 1-0 defeat to Napoli last time out.
“We played against a very difficult opponent, but reacted with character and determination,” Pioli said.
“I always want to play better than the opposition, but today the points were the most important thing. We weren’t coming off some good results, even if I remain convinced we didn’t deserve to lose against Napoli, and needed this boost.
“Now we can rest a little easier and prepare for a tough January.”
