By Anna Italia
Follow me in Twitter 
@ItalianSerieA
Here’s what players and staff had to say after the Serie A Week 16 draw, AC Milan 2 – 2 AS Roma on Monday 16 December 2013. The last time Milan-Roma finished 2-2 was on the 9 January 2000, wow, 13 years ago! Milan celebrated their anniversary with this draw at the San Siro Stadium.
 Buy AC Milan Tickets Bologna FC Tickets |
Serie A Standing AFTER the game:
AC Milan, 10th position with 19 points and a goal difference of “0”
AS Roma, 2nd position with 38 points and a positive goal difference of +24
ADRIANO GALLIANI
“It was a tough match against a
tough adversary. We could have won and we could have lost. I’m happy
with how the team played. We’re a bit worried now as Emanuelson can’t
straighten his leg, he’s in hospital now. He’s turning into a great full
back, he reminds me of Serginho who was a really great full back. We
did well after Roma scored. Maybe we could have had a penalty but let’s
not talk about the referee.
Montolivo won’t be available for the
derby unfortunately. Normally the captain can talk with the referee and
it didn’t seem to me worthy of a booking. Abbiati had this problem even
before the match. He was sick at half time and had no energy left,
that’s why he was taken off.
Roma are still unbeaten. Mario had a
chance to win it as well. We were on the same level for much of the
match. I think that getting through to the next round of the Champions
League has shown us how good we can be and that’s changed the humor in
the team. Now we have the derby and then we’ll try and play a good 2014.
President Berlusconi is the author of our success. We’ve won 13
trophies during his presidency. Barcelona are behind us with 11 while
Real Madrid, Chelsea and Liverpool have 6.
In all of these years, the
President has never missed a match. I spoke to him 5 minutes ago and he
was happy with the performance. The club is one of the things that he
cares the most about. We did well tonight and in the end, Roma were a
bit scared as well.
History counts for a lot. It’s a question of DNA.
The top teams almost always get through to the final 16 of the
Champions League. Allegri has done it for four seasons now. We’re the
top Italian team in the rankings. We’ve never played against Atletico. I
remember them in the Coppa Latina in 1951 but we never played them in a
UEFA match. That was an important competition in the fifties before the
start of the European Cup. The top teams from France, Italy, Portugal
and Spain took part. Just look at who took part in and won the European
Cup until 1966.
We won 11-10 after penalties in the Villa De Madrid trophy in 1991. I still have that trophy and Ateltico are friends of ours.
Fernando
Torres was an idea but we never really got close to bringing him here
as he was already on big money when he was playing for Atletico. The
Primavera side got Chelsea in the UEFA Youth League and you can find
Chelsea players on loan all over the continent. They go for the most
promising youngsters and then send them out on loan before coming back
to the mother ship.
January is a long month so we’ll see. If we don’t meet for the derby, best wishes to the fans and as always…Forza Milan!”
MASSIMILIANO ALLEGRI
“We
have 6 days to prepare the derby but we’ll be without Montolivo and
that’s disappointing. We have to get back mental and physical energy
ahead of the match as the players have spent a lot. Technically
speaking, we played well tonight. We’ve taken a step forward and that’s
good as we have to find a certain fluidity in our game. The team
believes now and we had a good chance with Balotelli to win the game and
then we risked losing the game as well which is something we have to
cut out. We ended the game on the rise and that’s a good signal. Gabriel
came on cold and he may have made some mistakes but he should be let
grow as he needs the experience.
I think that what the players have
done in getting through to the next round of the Champions League has
been undervalued and that’s disappointing as it’s no small achievement.
They did their duty and we have to make sure that we get to the match
against Atletico in the best possible shape. Bonera is doing very well.
He’s been the victim of injuries in the past, but I’m happy with Mexes
as well even though he didn’t play tonight. He and Mexes conceded very
little last season.”
CRISTIAN ZAPATA
“I’m
happy with the game and the performance and I dedicate my goal to my
wife and daughter. I gave everything in this match and it’s important to
know that Galliani holds me in high esteem. I’m happy with everything. I
believe we played well. We gave them the second goal but the draw is
the right result for both teams. I tried to get that ball away from
Gervinho. I think the final 16 in the Champions league will be an
emotional experience. Atletico are a strong team but there’s a lot of
time between now and February. We’ll try and prepare things as best we
can for those two matches. We’ll try and get there in top form and play a
great game.”
MASSIMILIANO ALLEGRI (PRESS CONFERENCE)
“As
far as the match goes, we played much better in the second half. We
were more relaxed and confident. Absurdly though, we risked more in the
second than in the first half. Montolivo just went to ask for an
explanation from the referee for what happened previously with Maicon
and then Kakà got booked. I asked the Fourth Official why Kakà and not
Maicon beforehand. I was sorry to have had to leave the field of play
but luckily the team equalized.
I think Atletico Madrid are doing
great things. Last season they won the Copa del Rey and they won their
Champions League group this season. We’ll see what shape we get to March
in but we’ll take our chances as best we can. First of al, I’m pleased
that after Wednesday, the team played an intense game of football. We
came on in the second half and that looks positive because it means
we’re in good shape physically.
As far as the league position goes,
we have to blame ourselves for giving away so many points at the start
of the season against the so-called smaller teams. That means we made
mistakes.
I never speak about the referees. We behaved ourselves well
and Balotelli as well was very calm and didn’t react. Now we have the
derby which is such an important match. We have to prepare ourselves as
best we can. They’ll be without Alvarez and we’ll be without Montolivo.
That means we’re about even.
We’ve been a bit unlucky with some decisions but these things even themselves out.
There
are no easy matches in the Champions League. Atletico won their group
and they’re top of the Liga. They’re in extraordinary form and we’ll see
how both of us doing come March. All matches start 0-0 and it makes no
sense talking before the game is to be played. There’s a long time to
come before the match. We’ll see how things are going in February and
March. They’re well organized and the play well. It’ll be tough for both
teams.
I hope I won’t get suspended as I didn’t insult anyone. It’ll
be a nice Christmas derby and I hope we’ll celebrate it in the best
way possible.”