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AC Milan coach Fonseca: Juventus clash important - not decisive

  /  autty

Milan host Juve on Saturday night, with Fonseca expecting a close contest.

Juve miss Vlahovic:

"Juve knows how to adapt well to the available players. I don't know if Weah will play, I know him well because he worked with me not as a striker, but they will have different intentions than when Vlahovic is there. Weah is very fast in depth, it will be different and maybe we need to pay attention to these movements in depth of Timothy and not to the work with his back to the goal."

Is tomorrow decisive?

"No, it's important. I can't say that the match against Juve is more important than the one against Empoli, because we need to win more in a row. We are Milan, we have a lot of respect for Juve, but we are not afraid."

In the two games against the wall, against Inter and Real Madrid, your team put in a great performance. Are you more relaxed for tomorrow?

"I don't feel pressure for this type of game. It's a question of motivation. It's easy to understand that against Inter, Juve, Real Madrid you are motivated, then it's more difficult to go to Cagliari and find the same motivation. Then there's always pressure: those who are at Milan have pressure every day."

Alvaro Morata motivated as an ex-Juve player?

"It's important to have Rafa and Morata in a good moment, they can make the difference in this type of match. In training I saw them very well, very motivated and I expect them to show this tomorrow too.

"We always want to be offensive and we do well offensively. But we don't depend on one player, everyone depends on everyone. Juve is very strong defensively."

Tactics like in Madrid?

"I think it will be a different game. I think Juve is stronger defensively than Real Madrid, as a team they defend better."

The goals conceded have not improved...

"I don't want to escape from the team's problem, which is the defensive phase. I was lucky to have many defenders here during the break and we worked a lot on the defensive line and I expect the team to be able to progress."

How is Theo Hernandez?

"Theo is a great player, for me he is the best left back in the world and I have no doubts about that. It was a question of adaptation. We spoke in these days, he is learning things that are important and he seemed, this week, more motivated than ever. And this is an important sign to have Theo at the highest level."

How do you achieve the balance that Ibra calls for?

"You want three midfielders (laughs). I agree with Zlatan: we have to find this balance. We have already had balanced performances and against the best teams, so the team has the ability. I think it is above all a problem of concentration and attitude, for how we face the matches against the smaller teams."

Didier Deschamps said that Theo is psychologically tired...

"I spoke to Theo. I think it's not mental tiredness. It's a question of adaptation. But I don't want to comment on Deschamps' words."

Milan last for duels won and balls recovered.

"It could be a question of characteristics, we are not a very aggressive team in the defensive phase. But certain recoveries can be counted all over the field. We are working a lot on duels, on anticipation, on one-on-one."

Is this Milan's last chance for the Scudetto?

"It's an important match."

Rafael Leao in Portugal said he has to be more selfish...

"I understand what Rafa said. I think he means he has to be more decisive, I agree. I think Rafa can be more decisive. He is working to achieve it, I have no doubts about that."