MILANELLO- On Saturday afternoon, Filippo Inzaghi held his pre-match press conference. This is what the coach had to say before Sunday’s Serie A match at home to Cesena.

Opening comments: “All of us Milanisti want to get back on track, we have a big chance tomorrow as we’re playing at home and it has to be a turning point. A convincing win can help us get back on track, seeing as there is still a long way to go this season. Winning can help us get the enthusiasm back that we had up until 2 months ago. Alex is a doubt, yesterday he trained with a protective face mask (the Brazilian had surgery for a broken nose earlier this week, editor’s note) and he was struggling to breathe. Today we shall see. We are a bit short in defence, we only have Bonera, Antonelli, Rami, Bocchetti and Alex, plus two lads from the Youth Sector team, De Santis and Felicioli. I don’t believe the formation changes anything, I don’t think it’s about the playing system, I think what counts is the desire, the sacrifice. After today’s training session I will decide the starting line-up and I will choose the formation based around the players’ characteristics. Cesena are in form, but we’re calm as we’re playing at home and want to win. We are ready and I hope the team can replicate what they do during the week in training and also win the fans back again.”

Inzaghi continued: “It isn’t easy to play at the San Siro, even if our fans have been very good and patient. The best medicine right now for us is to give a good performance. It annoys me when they say (the Italian media, editor’s note) that the players work little, because it isn’t true and it isn’t right to talk about players that always give their all. I am sad that fictitious things are said. We have worked very hard this month to be able to play with greater intensity. I’m not looking for excuses, we should have done a lot more, but when we had 90% of the squad available we were third in the league table and I think this counts for something. We have adopted a formation with 2 forwards and we will keep it.”

Commenting on the team’s goals: “The aim is to give the team an identity again, because up until January we had an identity and we played good football. Then we lost many players through injury. Some down to bad luck, some have been serious ones that you cannot prevent. If you have to constantly change the line-up it isn’t easy to give a team an identity. However, we are now recovering some players and I hope as of tomorrow we start to see our identity again. We have to be careful with Montolivo, he has done very well to grit his teeth and make a comeback after 7 months out with a nasty injury. We cannot expect too much from him.”

The coach’s message “To salvage our season we need to start playing like Milan again. I take things one game at a time. At the moment we need to re-discover our identity, confidence and enthusiasm. I feel the faith from the President and CEO Galliani every day. The President called me yesterday morning at 08.15 to tell me that he was sorry he couldn’t visit. They believe in my work and they have also realised that the injuries have penalised us a bit, but this takes nothing away from the fact that we should have done more. The President reassures me a lot and for this I thank him. I have a contract with Milan and I know of the respect that the club directors have in me. I will move forwards and then we shall see what happens.”

Inzaghi also had a message for the fans: “There were many fans during the first match of the year against Sassuolo. It takes very little to win them back and bring them back to the stadium. We’re not doing that at the moment and we are sorry about it. We need to show the fans what we can do out on the pitch.”

Closing comments on individuals: “Menez and Cerci can play together. I think both are doing well. Menez is having a season that is going beyond all expectations. Cerci is getting better with every training. Honda is always ready. I have many players in attack available and I will choose the 4 that are in the best condition.”