MILAN – The coach is confident that his team has what it takes to win Sunday’s derby. These were his thoughts in an exclusive interview to the Milan Channel earlier today and before facing the press:

“The derby is always a massive match and for us it represents the last chance to aim for the top positions in the table. We know that we possess the abilities to defeat Inter while recently I have seen them off the pace. I envy their position in the table, but there is still a long way to go this season and if we win tomorrow we can cut the gap. Had we not been a united squad, we would have fallen apart. The atmosphere at Milanello has always been one of confidence and calm. We have found an identity and balance in the team. We have not been good enough at putting games to bed this season, but we are a solid and compact unit. It would be nice to win without struggling too much however. Each one of us has to give our best. We could not afford to lose against Alessandria and we managed to win the game, but we should have killed off the contest. The players that I chose to start all deserved it. The team now has its own identity and has balance. We are solid and have character and are stronger than we were 4 months ago. The players have got used to the work-loads in training and this is a different Milan. We must take the chances that come our way tomorrow.”

MILAN – Click here for the match report of the Primavera’s 4-0 win at home to Cesena.

MILAN – Roberto Mancini held his pre-derby press conference earlier today. Here is an extract of the Nerazzurri tactician’s pre-match thoughts:

“It’s not decisive but it is important. Winning the derby is always a boost for morale and confidence. Like any match it’s worth three points and it’s important for us so that we can stay up there with the leading pack. We have to try and perform well and win this game thinking about where we want to be ourselves, not who is behind us.”

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MILAN – Primavera coach Cristian Brocchi marked his 40th birthday today by overseeing a 2-0 win at home to Cesena. Speaking afterwards, this is what he had to say:

“It’s been a nice birthday because I asked the lads to maintain winning ways, the same attitude and performance. I am happy with how the team played and so I am left feeling satisfied. We are not a team that plays on the counter-attack and so when we find ourselves in those rare situations, we aren’t clinical. We need to work on this so we know how to make them count in the future. It’s taken too long to see what I wanted from the team and this is the only complaint I can have with the players. On the other hand, it was a lot harder to turn the situation around in terms of the group, unity and attitude and now I am pleased because even when we have lost, we have played as a team. I am very calm ahead of matches because I do not let myself get influenced by results but rather by what I sense from the players. Lately, it has all been very positive. Every match is a useful opportunity for the players to improve, the Viareggio Tournament has always been an important chance and it will be another one to show what they can do. There are a lot of players that are improving. Locatelli has that little bit more in some respects and I think he can be a member of the first team squad in the near future. He, along with lots of others, is developing and maturing and therefore the hope is to promote him and a few others to the first team at the end of the season.”