Paolo Maldini, AC Milan's sports director, spoke to DAZN in the post Lazio-Milan post: "Last year the message was long before Lazio-Milan: we knew we were fighting for the Scudetto after just a few games. Now it's a different moment: we were eliminated in the Italian Cup, we lost badly to Inter in the Super Cup and two goals went in. Then came this defeat, conceding 11 goals in the last 3 games and it's normal for the moment to be delicate. Last year we won for our spirit and this must be found again, without even thinking of making disasters. We are second in the standings on our own, after having reached the Champions League and the Scudetto in two years. With all due respect to the critics, this team is still within his parameters."
What does it start from?
"Work has never been lacking. We are present at all training sessions and we can witness it firsthand. Sometimes it happens: it has also happened to my Milan to lose security and confidence... It can happen. We know how to get back Making comparisons with the past: we are not the Milan of the nineties that takes the great champions already made, but we have the need - the need - to follow a strategy that has led us to settle the club's accounts and to be protagonists. we will certainly not deviate here".
Did it all start from the 87th minute against Roma?
"It's two points lost in a dominated game. Everything started from there after the excellent game in Salerno. Well, it's fine, actually it's not fine: it's accepted. Experience, all experience. Now we have many players returning , there's a large squad. We kept almost all of last year's squad. We know we're not at the level of the biggest in Europe, but let's remember that, compared to last year, we qualified for the knockout stages of the Champions League and this is a great achievement achieved this year".
Are Kessie and Romagnoli missing?
"We are there in number. Kessie left because he had requests that we couldn't satisfy, it happened with many players. Now we have to create players. Tonali and Bennacer form a top-level midfield. Romagnoli left, but the starting duo was Tomori and Kalulu. It is clear that we have lost distance and safety."
What is missing in defense?
"If the first pressure doesn't go well, the opponents become dangerous. We find it hard to move together. This has been lacking in the last 20 days. This can be changed because we did it not too long ago. Many times the psychological aspect determines mistakes in choices".
When is Maignan coming back?
"The last exams went well, we expect to have it in February. When I don't know."
Origi, De Ketelaere and Zaniolo...
"Origi has a 4-year contract, De Ketelaere has 5 and we can't judge them from the first 5 months. Joining a team that works perfectly is much easier in a team that isn't working and this wasn't the case for De Ketelaere. easy. He has great talent, it's a matter of time. Massara has already said everything about Zaniolo, but it's useless to hide the reality: we won't deviate from our strategy".