AC Milan president Paulo Scaloni took advantage of the half-time break to speak to Milan reporters about the Rossoneri's recent high-profile topics at an event organised by the San Siro Sports Federation. His words are honest and cautious, revealing both the challenges facing the team and their expectations and plans for the future.
Scaloni began by reflecting on the fierce clash at the San Siro Stadium the other day: "It was a bitter and difficult day, and we were desperate to beat Inter Milan, especially with the shadow of consecutive defeats. However, despite this, the season is not over and we still need to give our all to defend our current runners-up position. He added: "Even though the season has not been as good as it could have been, especially with injuries, we have been resilient enough to get through it. I would like to congratulate the league winners Inter Milan, Mr. Marotta and Mr. Antonello. ”
Faced with a question about coach Stefano Pioli's departure next season, Scaloni made it clear: "At the moment, I can't give a definite answer. Coach Stefano Pioli will be in charge of the position now and until the end of the season. We are counting on him to lead the team to win key battles and secure second place. At the end of the season, Coach Pioli and the management will review the future together, and it is too early to discuss this issue. ”
Rather than blaming someone for disappointing him, Scaloni was deeply concerned about the injury situation in the defence: "I often think about Milan's defensive triangle – Fikayo Tomori, Theot and Kalulu – in the stands, who are out injured, so when I think about defensive strategy, I think of empty pitches rather than their vigorous figures. There is no doubt that this has become a big problem this season. ”
Regarding his relationship with Maldini, Scaloni revealed: "I haven't heard anything from him recently. When a person looks back on the past with a harsh attitude, it may imply that he is not in a good situation at the moment. I sincerely hope that this is not the case with Maldini, and that his personal life will be full of joy and satisfaction. ”
Referring to Marotta's views on the role of Italian players as the cornerstone of Serie A, Scaloni agreed: "Usually, Mr. Marotta's remarks always arouse my deep respect, I think he is one of the most proficient in football in the country. Indeed, it is extremely important to have more homegrown talent in the squad. However, it is not easy to discover and bring them in. In the case of Gabia, who returned this season, his outstanding performances have added a lot to our journey. Regarding the proposal to reduce the league size to 18 teams, Galliani has described it as a 'rough move'. I'm open to listening to Mr. Galliani's detailed explanations, given his many successes in the past. Reducing the number of teams is a necessary move to deal with the overcrowding of tournaments and protect the health of players, and the current schedule is already overwhelmed and needs to be reformed urgently. ”
Regarding the construction of the new stadium, Scaloni admits: "The San Donato project is not only an option, we have invested more than 40 million yuan in it. However, in the process, we have had to confront the complexities that characterize Italy, and political calculations often make progress difficult. Mayor Sara suggested that we revisit the modest and significant renovation of San Siro by June. We will actively communicate with the city government to clarify the impact of this renovation on the facilities and public areas during the games, and strive to coordinate with the construction schedule to solve the problems that have plagued Milan for a long time. ”
Finally, regarding the relationship between Serie A and the Italian Football Federation (FICG), Scaloni was blunt: "I always believe that Serie A is seriously underrepresented in the FICG, and the gap between financial contribution and voice needs to be filled urgently. Only in this way can the relationship between the two parties converge on harmony, otherwise this state of alienation will persist. ”