(IN THE PHOTO: Inzaghi celebrates with the team)
MILAN- This is what was said by the players, the management and the coaching staff after the Round 15 Serie A match against Napoli on Sunday night at the San Siro, which ended 2-0 in favour of the rossoneri:
ADRIANO GALLIANI"The squad is working well with great commitment. One of the signs of group strength is how the players come off the bench, this evening they all came on foaming at the mouth. Congratulations to the coach and to the team. Menez is an important player, the goals this evening came from 2 players that arrived over the summer. Bonaventura works a lot and is extraordinary. Honda sacrificed himself for the team for 90 minutes. I saw a good display from Armero and a nice “Christmas Tree” that reminded me of the one by Carletto (Carlo Ancelotti, editor’s note). It’s 3 important points against a direct rival for third place and the Champions League. There is a big group now in the hunt. Us directors are geniuses when a player does better than expected, whereas we’re not so good if a player doesn’t do well. Inzaghi deserves all the luck because he’s focused, determined, what he did as a player he’s now doing as a coach. I am happy for him and for the President who I have just spoken to and informed about the league table. Last year we didn’t do well in Serie A but did well in the Champions League. Now we have to think about doing well against Roma, I am a bit worried about the muscle injury to Rami who has been playing well. Mexes even when he wasn’t playing trained well and he was good tonight. He wasn’t ever playing and now he is a pillar of this Milan, it will be hard to take him out of the team because the French pairing are doing well. I am very sorry for Van Ginkel, I saw him yesterday at Milanello, what a shame. After 30 years of watching training sessions, I know that he is a player of great talent, let’s hope he gets better soon and shows his talent. He’s a good lad and intelligent, I wish him the best and I hope he can get back soon and give the squad a hand. Diego Lopez has good feet, and Magni (goalkeeping coach, editor’s note), wanted by Inzaghi and who came from Brescia, makes the goalkeepers work a lot with their feet. Nowadays, a goalkeeper is an extra defender. Menez scored a sensational goal, if he had scored against Genoa, when he was in an easier position, perhaps we would have been speaking about another result. The goal is credit to Menez but also to Montolivo and Bonaventura who set the goal up. The return of Montolivo is important for us, we had to go without our captain for lots of matches. Bonaventura is a wonderful lad, a fantastic person, it was a divine intuition to bring him here. You have to stay close to us, there is a desire from everybody and from the President to take Milan back to the levels it deserves. Happy Christmas to everyone."
COACH INZAGHI (TO THE MILAN CHANNEL)"I think we’ve been doing well since the Sampdoria match, we’ve collected less than what we actually deserved. Those that play have an incredible spirit, I am happy for them, the lads tonight can be very satisfied. Bonaventura is a very committed player, with great intelligence, but they all showed great commitment tonight. We’ve finished well in front of our fans and who will be proud of this Milan, just like our President. As soon as the name Menez was mentioned, I called Ibrahimovic and Ancelotti, they told me he was a great player, a good lad and to get him right away. I chose to speak to him face to face, I didn’t have him available over the summer, but I am happy for his displays, displays of a champion. Mexes is the emblem of this Milan and of the players that came on this evening, with a desire to do well. Mexes deserves all the compliments, he wasn’t playing, but always worked and took his chance and now he is playing well. Rami has a good physique and I hope to have him back soon. On Saturday we play against Roma, the side that is doing the best in the league along with Juve. We have little to lose. We can dream of getting a great result. We will try and play a top match."
ANDREA POLI "It was a positive response, we wanted the win. We deserved it and out on the pitch you could sense that we were in control. Let’s continue like this. We want third place. A battle is now waiting for us in Rome, but we want to move forwards like this. We will be taking on a great side, but we will try and impose our game as always. Tonight we all did well. It was a team victory. Let’s enjoy this evening and tomorrow we will get back to work. I always work for the side, but it’s a shame about not scoring, there were two occasions to score. In the first half, the effort went just wide, while in the second I could have done more, even if I was a bit tired. I know I will score soon. It’s always wonderful to play at the San Siro. I’ve always felt the affection of the fans. In a stadium like this, it’s always a great satisfaction. Let’s hope we can continue like this."
GIACOMO BONAVENTURA"We worked on headers this week, the coach told me that I jump up well for headers and why I had never scored like this before and today the goal came! We have won an important match that we really cared about. I realise I am at a fantastic club and for this reason I try to work hard, as a professional, and do well. I am part of a team that is fighting for important goals and I try to give my all. The coach has given me lots of confidence and this for me is fundamental. I’ve played a lot, I’ve scored goals, given some good displays and I am happy to have done all of this. It will be hard against Roma, it will be a completely different match with a team that has collected many more points than us and that is fighting for the title."
COACH INZAGHI (PRESS CONFERENCE)"In my opinion we cannot settle. I don’t get down after certain matches, like at Genoa. I am happy that the defence in 3 games has only conceded 1 goal. The whole side has a great spirit to work for one another. Today was a top performance and I am proud of these players and this team. I told my players to enjoy the match tonight. It’s a big confidence boost, against a side that is fighting for the title. To single out names is hard tonight. We were compact and I asked the 2 forwards to play closer together in the first half and a bit wider in the second. There wasn’t a player who didn’t deserve praise. At 2-0, we had the chance to wrap up the win. We played a great match today, that gives us a great awareness. On Saturday we will have an important test. Today I thought about playing the 3 forwards in a certain way. Having Montolivo available again is important for this team and I am happy that he is back available. In the first half we played with a “Christmas Tree” formation. It reminded me of the match last year, with Birsa and Balotelli playing behind Matri, and that put them in difficulty. When things go well, the choices are right, otherwise they are wrong. The credit goes to the team however. Benitez is an excellent coach, but the players made the difference. Saturday? We have little to lose. We’re taking on a stratospheric side, but a good result would increase the awareness in our abilities. In the end, dreaming doesn’t cost anything."