Mihajlovic: 'I want Milan to be top in June'
Sinisa Mihajlovic spoke to assembled media today at Milan's press conference ahead of tomorrow's big Matchday 13 clash with Juventus.
Following a difficult start, Milan were able to win three games in a row and draw at home to Atalanta before the international break. They currently sit in 6th place on 20 points, just two points ahead of 7th-placed Juventus.
Of particular significance were the Serbian coach's comments on wanting "Milan to be top in June". Does he mean the team should be ready to compete for next season, or that he hopes to win this time round?
ON MILAN - "There's a strange atmosphere around Milan: if we win, we could always win better; if we draw or lose, on the other hand, then we're in trouble. We've racked up 11 points in 5 games. We have seven more games to go before the halfway mark, we can maintain this average. I have nothing to be angry at my players about".
"I want this team to be first in June".
"We need to at least wait for the first half of the season to be completed before we can make snap judgements. That's why I don't believe the Juventus game to be decisive, either for the league or Champions League qualfication".
ON BACCA and NIANG - "Bacca returned on Thursday, he ran a little yesterday, he'll train with the team today. We'll see how he is. Niang has done a lot of improving, he's in better shape than he was two weeks ago. Everyone is fine, except for Bertolacci and Niang".
ON BERLUSCONI - How did Mihajlovic react to Silvio Berlusconi visiting Atalanta's locker room after the game? Pretty well!
"The president has more titles than anyone else, he's been in football for 30 years, it's a nice thign to do, a great show of fair play, it didn't bother me at all."
"The objective is to play well and get Berlusconi to come down and compliment us".
ON DIEGO LOPEZ AND GIANLUIGI DONNARUMMA
"I have a lot of respect for Diego Lopez. He's played a lot of games in unideal conditions, though you end up paying for it in the long run, if you don't train properly. We all know what happened next. He's working on getting better, we'll see what to do come January".
"Donnarumma? will be up against a legend like Gianluigi Buffon. He has a lot to learn from Gianluigi, he has everything to become a worthy successor of his".
"However, one would have to wait at least ten years to make comparisons. But Donnarumma has character, personality."
