MILAN - Here are the declarations made by coach Leonardo today ahead of Milan-Bari, posticipated match of the 6th matchday of the league.
ON THE CONTRACT RENEWAL AND PATO'S MOMENT - 'Pato is a very important player for this team, he's only 20 years old and a whole career ahead of him. He's not a promise, but a reality. Renewing his contract meant giving a good signal of continuity, it means we are thinking about the future. Also, Alexandre has become a marketable player, so for us having this security was important. Pato is not a 'case', he's doing well physically, we just have to try to put him in the best conditions to express his talent. We are asking a lot of him, it's true, he has to get used to this new 'role', but he has enough personality to handle this situation well."
ON THE GOALSCORING DIFFICULTIES - 'We are lacking in our final touches, in the sense that we have to find the ability to score even if we aren't playing too well. Three goals in five matches are few, but we have to be calm because we have the resources. What we are lacking now is a playing style that also gives support when we have to shoot. In the last weeks we've worked a lot to find compactness especially in defence and midfield. In attack, it's true, we have to refine some mechanisms, but without revolutions. We have to find more space, try to get out of the players marking us, trying to find alternatives to find goals. Our characteristic is always to arrive into the area with the ball, but if our opponents allow it we will also start shooting from outside the area more. This can be a solution. But there is no attacking problem.'
ON BARI - 'They're a good team, with great personality and fast players, who play a lot on the wings. Away from home they are dangerous, we have to be careful. The one against Bari is a match we have to get three points from, also for ourselves. From this point of view it's similar to last Sunday's match against Bologna.'
ON THE TEAM'S MOMENT - 'We've had highs and lows, but the basis of this team is great, we re-organising ourselves and that's why I'm very calm. The standings are very close, good results will help us grow and I'm confident this will happen. Enthusiasm and group spirit aren't lacking, it's just that often we struggle to invert the tendency in difficult moments. To get out of difficult situations the road to follow is to play well, and have organisation, which is what we are working on. But it's certainly not a lack of motivation. Maybe some of our opponents have more resources, are doing better, and are favorites also because they are coming off more recent victories: while we are rebuilding. Let's be calm, and think only about us, about growing, and sharpen the weapons we have to compete. This is an expert team, with great individual qualities. We can't be desperate, all we have to do is to handle the different situations well.'
ON RONALDINHO - 'Tactically I see him both as a playmaker and a second striker: 10 meters more or less don't make a difference for champions like that. So let's stop talking about a competition with Pato or whoever else, it's not just a tactical question whether I use one player or another, there's also a lot of work done during the week, and the week of one player can be different to that of another.'
ON HUNTELAAR - 'It's clear that a new player, with certain characteristics, has more ease to insert himself in a team that already works. In this case, more time is necessary. He is a man who plays inside the area, he has many abilities in the conclusive phase, when both him and his team mates will put him in the condition to do what he's able to do, he will unblock himself and become really important to us. Certainly from now on he will have his chances and they will come more often.'
ON THE RECOVERY OF THIAGO SILVA AND BORRIELLO - 'Now we know that Thiago Silva's problem is a strain. He will probably return only after the international break. Meanwhile Borriello he will get back to work with us on Monday.'
