Ahead of next weekend’s clash against Juventus, Fabio Capello has admitted that AC Milan must play as they did against Real Madrid if they want a positive result.
This season has already been filled with ups and downs, and there are no signs of this stopping soon. Milan have already proved they can compete against the best, which is brilliant. However, they have also shown the flip side.
Over the course of a season, the brilliance of the wins against Inter and Real mean little if objectives are not reached due to poor performances. Of course, these wins are Nice, and they are something to be proud of.
But, if the Diavolo do not end the season with something that shows the importance of the results, they will be glossed over.
Milan have been a mixed bag in big games so far. The aforementioned wins are great examples, but the losses to Liverpool and Napoli also represent some worry, and Capello has stated that the Rossoneri must be like their Bernabeu selves if they are to get a result against Juventus.
Speaking to Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below), he discussed this and more.
On the pitch and on the bench, in the Juventus shirt and with the Rossoneri. Fabio Capello knows all about Milan-Juventus…
“Many more years have passed, but I don’t know why I remember the challenges better as a player. Milan-Juve in 1971 seems like yesterday to me: we won 4-1 at the San Siro and Bettega scored with his heel. If I close my eyes, I also remember the 1995 victory, when I was coaching the Rossoneri, with goals from Simone, Weah and Del Piero for the Bianconeri.
“Also unforgettable was the 2005 victory, when I coached Juve: Del Piero’s reverse assist and Trezeguet’s header. David was unforgiving. Vlahovic should watch footage of the Frenchman and Ibra.”
Aren’t the nine goals scored by Vlahovic in this start of the season enough?
“Dusan moves very well in the area and in certain aspects he reminds us of Trezeguet. He must improve in playing with the team and Ibrahimovic’s movements are like a great striker’s manual. Vlahovic will be one of the keys to Milan-Juventus.”
In what way?
“If Milan insist on exasperated offside, Vlahovic will be decisive by attacking the depth. Much of Milan-Juve will pass from these situations.”
Who will play more in the big match scheduled for the restart?
“Milan. Whoever is defeated risks losing the last train for the Scudetto. That goes for everyone, especially Fonseca. Juventus are still unbeaten and should they win at the San Siro they would send out a strong signal to the whole championship. The table in front is short. Potentially, in terms of squad and experience, the favourite is still Inter.”
Fonseca and Motta are in their first season with Milan and Juventus: who is further ahead in the project?
“Milan and Juventus are still two teams in the laboratory. Fonseca’s team seemed to blossom at the Bernabeu, then in Cagliari it went backwards. They score a lot, but concede too much. Thiago Motta has the best defence in Serie A and is slowly starting to find more goals.
“At San Siro I expect Juventus to manage the game and possession, waiting for the right moment to surprise the Rossoneri’s high defence with Vlahovic or with Koopmeiners’ insertions. The Bianconeri are coming off a dominated derby: I saw the best Juve of the season against Torino.
“For Fonseca to win they will need a Bernabeu-style Milan, more covered and careful in the defensive phase.”
As a coach, how angry would you have been at the goals Milan conceded in Cagliari?
“With me they would have been more careful…. The feeling is that Milan’s defenders look too much at the ball and too little at the man. And in the area, as I always say, the ball doesn’t go in unless there is an opponent to push it.”
Could you lend Fonseca and Motta a Milan and Juventus star that you coached for the big match at San Siro?
“Fonseca would need the whole defensive block: Tassotti, Baresi, Costacurta and Maldini. To Thiago I would lend Trezeguet. Or Puma Emerson, great player.”
If you were back on the bench, for which Milan and Juventus player would you do something crazy in the market?
“Reijnders and Koopmeiners. I don’t say that because they are Dutch, but because they know how to play football and are complete in both phases. Reijnders integrates very well with Fofana: a good pair.
Koop is a top player, all he needs now is a goal: I would have found room for him even in my Juve of Emerson and Vieira, maybe later on.
“Koopmeiners as football intelligence reminds of Raul of Real Madrid: the Juventino is more powerful, the Spaniard was more goleador.”
Who is better Conceiçao or Leao?
“Why choose?Conceiçao on the right and Leao on the left: they are very different Portuguese. The Juventus man is not fast, but he has quality and dribbling and is always annoying.Leao has absolute power, but for the moment he has only exploited 75 per cent of his potential: he lacks continuity.In the last games he seemed to me to be growing and with a clearer head, let’s see if he will confirm against Juventus.Thiago Motta will have to watch out for the Portuguese.”
Point-blank: Pulisic or Yildiz?
“The American is more ready, but Yildiz is talented and the future will be his.”
If it were Juve, would you fear the former Morata more or perhaps a goal from the young Camarda?
“Morata in big games and against former teams is exalted. At Juve they know him well and will certainly not be happy to face him. Camarda is very young, but at Cagliari I watched him carefully and he moved well. Nice to see a 16-year-old in Milan.”
Two cruciate injuries in four months: after Bremer, Motta also lost Cabal.
“The loss of Bremer was a bad blow and Cabal’s stop further restricts the solutions in defence. In the January market you have to take certainties.”
Are you thinking of Skriniar?
“Juve would be on the safe side with him: he played at Inter, he knows the pressures of Serie A and the top clubs. At Psg he plays little, I think Skriniar would also be happy to return to Italy.”
