After the feat at the Bernabeu, the coach of Milan Paulo Fonseca he returned to speak at the press conference on the eve of the match against Cagliarimatch valid for the twelfth matchday of Serie A. Below we propose the Portuguese manager’s full press conference.
How important is it not to frustrate Madrid tomorrow in Cagliari?
“It’s important to keep in mind the good things we’ve done, but it’s also important to understand that in Cagliari it will be a different game. We have to be a different team to be able to play against Cagliari. It will be a totally different game. Since Wednesday I stopped playing think about Madrid to think about Cagliari: you need the right attitude to win tomorrow.”
Is it possible that Madrid changes the team’s leadership?
“Even before the Madrid match, the team had the awareness of what it could be. It’s true that the victory against Real brings more confidence to the players, but all matches are important. I don’t think the match against Real is more important than the one with Cagliari we have to go back to the championship now, which is different.”
Musah wide a one shot option?
“It was a strategy for Madrid. I don’t know if we can do it in other matches. Maybe yes, maybe even with other players… But it was mainly a strategy for Madrid, for the characteristics of the Real players.”
How is Morata?
“It was a strange situation: in an exercise yesterday he clashed with Pavlovic. Initially I didn’t think it was a problem like what it turned out to be, but he’s not ready to play tomorrow. He’s fine, but he’s not ready.”
Morata said that Leao must understand that he can make football history…
“Leao will start tomorrow. I said after Madrid that he can do even better, especially in some situations. We must all understand that tomorrow will be a totally different match, especially for Leao, with individual marking and without all the space he had against Real But I expect a Rafa of the same level.”
Do you also expect a few more goals from Leao?
“Leao had situations in the last 30 meters of one-on-ones, he had nine, ten… He can improve in the last choice. It is clear for everyone that he can also improve defensively. We must continue to work with him to make him improve on these issues, which are important both for him and for the team.”
Is tomorrow important to get back to the top of the standings?
“It’s important for everything. We can’t lose points. There’s no point in this victory over Real if we don’t win against Cagliari. However, it will be a totally different match.”
What is your relationship with Leao?
“Good and it has always been good. I can’t say everything. Every coach has a strategy. I tried to have a strategy with Rafa, maybe it wasn’t the best, then I tried another one and it seems to me he had some effect… I have never had problems with Rafa. He accepted the situation well and had the reaction I wanted. I expect Rafa to continue like this, maybe we can see Rafa on the bench several times … (laughs, ed.)”
How do you explain that in the two most difficult matches you showed your best version?
“There are several explanations. First: these types of matches are a great motivation for the players who face these matches with more motivation. For this reason, I am more worried about playing against Cagliari rather than against Real. Second: they are totally different games. When you play against teams like Real, what you don’t have to do is not have courage, because these teams give you space, you can play, you can control the game and sometimes it’s more difficult to play against Monza or Cagliari against Real Madrid Real, we have space to play. I’m sure we won’t have the same space to play.”
Do the fans love you more after Madrid?
“It’s normal (laughs, ed.). But nothing has changed for me. I have to follow the path I believe in, I have to always be balanced. I’m not someone who looks at everything when I win, when I lose I don’t look at anything. I’m always myself: I don’t look at anything.”
Do you have the impression of having a cup team rather than a championship one? Can we win the Champions League?
“I didn’t think about this. I like it, yes, but I also like that the team understands that the championship is the priority. We must have the same courage to win matches here. Serie A is our priority.”
The Spain coach said that Morata will play for the national team…
“I don’t know why he said this. There is a protocol that says that a player must stop for 10 days, I don’t know how he can say that he plays. I know that he can’t do anything. That is, it’s not an option, it’s something obligatory. I don’t know how de la Fuente can do this.”
Do we need to change tomorrow to win?
“If you give me some advice, maybe I’ll follow it. Three midfielders? But we already play with three midfielders. In Madrid we put four in.”
Is it the right wickedness that makes the difference?
“We didn’t agree on the evaluations of Monza. I saw the right attitude in Monza, because we faced other difficulties with the right malice and the right head. I expect it to be the same tomorrow. Stuttgart with the Atalanta had the right attitude, but found it difficult to face a team that defends like that. As a coach I know that it is a great difficulty to face teams that defend like that.”
Abraham titular?
“It’s difficult to choose players because we have so many players. Chukwueze is in a good moment, but if he doesn’t play it’s because it’s a tactical choice and not a question of performance. We have the possibility to change depending on the matches. In Monza we played with Pavlovic and Thiaw, because Madrid needed more speed and Tomori played. I’m lucky enough to choose according to the matches and I think the players understand this well, because I’m direct with them and I explain it to them when things are going. explain. Abraham? No need to say it so much in half an hour then you know everything… Camarda plays tomorrow.”
Tomorrow he will be at Milan for four months…
“It’s a pride, I’m very satisfied. It’s difficult, but I’m very proud and very motivated seeing the work and growth of the team. It’s highly motivating, I’m very motivated and satisfied.”
More on the differences between Europe and Italy.
“When we have a match like the one against Real Madrid we have the intention of looking for certain spaces because we have the spaces. To play against Real we have good positional play. To play against Cagliari we need other things. When there is individual marking, there is no room for positional play, there are other important things, which however I don’t want to mention (smiles, ed.). It’s clear that the team’s way of approaching the match must be different. Against Monza, against Napoli at some point, we have done many good things. We must continue to do these important things to face these types of teams.”
Is Jovic still in the project?
“He is part of the project. The problem is that he is not physically well. He has a problem that continues. He has been training these days but with pain. Today we tried, he has this strong pain again, it limits him. He won’t be with us “.
It is important to talk about Musah…
“The success of teams is based on this type of player. Musah is very important. He had already played a great game against Napoli. I asked him for another role and he did very well again. I know he is a type of player who he is always ready to sacrifice himself and help the team. He has many qualities that I like. For me he was a decisive player in Madrid. I didn’t talk about it, because they only ask me questions about Leao (laughs, ed.). questions don’t come (laughs, ed.)”.
Why the choice of Camarda? It’s a surprising choice…
“For me it’s not surprising. He works with us every day. I think everyone in the club believes in him a lot, he works well and understands the role well. For me the players have no age, they have quality. And he shows it every day who has quality. Morata has a very specific role at the moment. Morata is not always a striker, but many times he is a player who unlocks the passing lines. I think Camarda is more ready than Abraham at the moment. And I have to say that Abraham is not totally fine but he is better. I have total confidence in Camarda. He trained very well at his age, but he has a lot of courage. I didn’t have this problem only one doubt about who should have played tomorrow.”