AC MILAN, Galliani: "Let's concentrate on the game against Zenit"

© foto di Simone Ferraro/PhotoViews

As Milan enter the most important week of the season so far the club is expecting a positive performance first in the Champions League against Zenit St Petersburg and then in the highly passionate derby against city rivals Inter. Adriano Galliani knows that these two matches could be turning point for the side.

"Let's concentrate on the game against Zenit, which is a delicate and difficult match. They are a good team and we have to try and get a good result. I was disappointed with the draw against Parma because we should have won the match, we didn't make the most of the chances created, but I did see an improvement in terms of the way we played. This is a good team and we must finish inside the top three places so we have to start making a comeback."

The Milan managing director is delighted to see that Stephan El Shaarawy is fulfilling his promise and is starting to score consistently. According to Galliani, the young striker is a special kind of player.
"You cannot really compare El Shaarawy to anyone else. I don't think we have ever had anyone like him at Milan, a counter attacking player like him at just 19 years old. I really insisted to bring him to Milan. He caught my eye when he was at Padova and now he has less competiton here and he can play regularly as either an out-and-out striker or as a wide attacker. Let's hope that Ferguson continues to like El Shaarawy but we cannot sell him. We have just renewed his contract until 2017 so there is no need to worry."

The team just needs a bit more time to gel together and for injured players to return to full fitness in order to be highly competetive. For Galliani, it is just a matter of time.
"We need to be patient with the team. This is a new Milan, a young Milan. We have less world class players than in the past and we have to be a little more patient than before. Boateng is still struggling because of the plaster cast on his hand."

Massimiliano Allgeri has the backing of the club as long as the results arrive and that progress is made as the season goas on.
"Massimiliano Allgeri has our backing. Obviously if a coach loses ten games in a row then he risks getting the sack but that goes for any coach. The coach is in charge of the team and can choose how to play and what formation to choose but I personally like to play with two holding midfielders. The only star performance in the Champions League against Real Madrid in Madrid came when we had two holding midfielders. But I am not a coach."

Finally Adriano Galliani spoke about the poor ticket sales this season and for the derby against Inter and sent out a message to the fans.
"I want to reach out to the fans and ask them to come to the stadium on Sunday and make the San Siro a wonder to behold. For the last two years Milan have been ahead of Inter but football is all about cycles."