IGLI TARE BACKS NKUNKU AS CENTRE FORWARD ABLE TO LINK WITH LEãO
AC Milan director Igli Tare is confident in Rafael Leao and Christopher Nkunku's new strike partnership against Roma. Despite injuries, he believes the duo can deliver in a crucial Serie A clash for the standings.
For Tare, Milan vs. Roma was a unique experience.
TACTICAL SHIELD: WILL GIOVANNI DI LORENZO’S DEFENSIVE MASTERCLASS SECURE NAPOLI’S FINAL SPOT
Giovanni Di Lorenzo urges Napoli to avoid a "lottery" by beating AC Milan in normal time tonight. Can they reach the 2025 final?
Giovanni Di Lorenzo has stated Napoli is aiming for victory at the Supercoppa Italiana in Saudi Arabia. He has urged his teammates to secure the win in 90 minutes when they play Milan in the semi-final this Thursday, saying that penalties are unpredictable.
The Supercoppa Italiana kicks off in Riyadh with the Napoli versus Milan semi-final on Thursday evening. Bologna and Inter will compete in the other semi-final on Friday night, with the winners meeting in the final on Monday.
Di Lorenzo: ‘Napoli want to qualify for the final in normal time’
Captain Di Lorenzo, alongside Antonio Conte during Wednesday’s pre-match press conference, mentioned that Napoli is in a good position despite their recent 1-0 loss against Udinese and their 2-0 defeat by Jose Mourinho’s Benfica in the Champions League.
He said, “We’re coming in at a good time, even though we lost our last game. But this is another competition; we will play openly. The team is doing fine.”
When questioned about Napoli’s goals for the Supercoppa Italiana, Di Lorenzo clarified that they are taking it one game at a time. He wants to avoid a penalty shootout.
“Penalties are unpredictable, so we want to qualify for the final in normal time. That’s the goal. Milan is a strong team with great players, so we have to focus on doing our best.”
Regarding his recent role as a right wing-back, Di Lorenzo was asked if he has a preference between playing in a back three or a back four.
He responded, “We’re all professionals and used to playing all the time. I always train to the best of my ability. It can be tiring mentally, but you need to burn a lot of energy to play in these games.
“I play wherever the coach tells me. I’m always available for the team; my position is secondary.”
Napoli, like Milan, has brought several youth team players to Saudi Arabia. Di Lorenzo commented on them.
“They’re young guys who often train with us and bring a breath of fresh air to the first team. We try to make them feel comfortable and help them perform at their best.”
On Napoli’s defensive game, Di Lorenzo added, “Tomorrow’s match depends on our defence, so it will be very important. You attack better when you defend well. We will try to play a good defensive game and show our qualities when we have the ball.”
SAUDI SHOWDOWN: CAN MASSIMILIANO ALLEGRI’S TACTICAL SHIFT OVERCOME NAPOLI IN RIYADH
Massimiliano Allegri faces a selection crisis in Riyadh. Will tactical tweaks be enough to stop Conte’s Napoli on Thursday?
Massimiliano Allegri says he and Milan are waiting to see about possible new players in January. He also told fans what to expect when Milan plays Napoli in the Supercoppa Italiana on Thursday night.
Milan will play Napoli in the first Supercoppa Italiana semi-final on Thursday night. Then, Bologna will face Inter on Friday night, and the final will be on Monday night.
Allegri previews the Milan vs. Napoli Supercoppa Italiana semi-final.
Milan won this competition last year in Sergio Conceicao’s first two games as coach. A lot has changed for Milan since then, including the coach and their league form going into this tournament.
Allegri thinks this game will be different from Serie A matches.
“Tomorrow is a different game. It’s a one-off, and we want to reach the final. Napoli is a very strong team, so it will be tough,” he told the media on Wednesday.
Allegri also gave an update on Youssof Fofana and Rafael Leao: “Fofana is ready to play, but we’ll see about Leao after today’s training,” he said. Santiago Gimenez and Matteo Gabbia will not be available to play.
Allegri was asked if he plans to change tactics against Napoli in the Supercoppa Italiana.
He said, “We always play with three attackers. Saelemaekers is the one who mixes things up. Athekame and Jashari are back, and we need fresh energy since we always play the same guys.”
About Napoli, Allegri said, “Napoli is a strong team that scores a lot of goals in the box, no matter their tactics. Tomorrow will be a great game with many talented players.”
The Milan coach said that Gimenez will likely have surgery on Thursday. It’s not clear if this means Milan will make any moves in January.
“Gimenez saw a doctor, who advised him to have surgery. The surgery should be tomorrow morning. Milan wants to get our current players back in shape, and then we’ll talk with the club about what we can do in January.”