Milan are inches away from winning their first Scudetto since 2010/11, and head coach Stefano Pioli wants his side to prove ‘they are the best’ against Hellas Verona. Coming into the last three rounds, the Rossoneri were leading the way in Serie A, yet they will have to win at Bentegodi to preserve their place at the summit.
Though Inter’s come-from-behind 4-2 win over Empoli on Friday helped Simone Inzaghi’s side reclaim the top spot in the Serie A standings, Milan will have an opportunity to restore a two-point cushion away to Verona on Sunday. Pioli’s side fought back from a 2-0 half-time deficit to beat the Gialloblu 3-2 at San Siro in the reverse fixture, suggesting Sunday’s visit to Bentegodi could prove tricky.
Verona are on course for a third consecutive top-half finish in Serie A following a run of one defeat from their last six league matches (W3, D2). With seventh-placed Fiorentina four points away, Igor Tudor’s team could still secure a long-awaited European qualification, meaning Milan will have work to do at Bentegodi.
Rafael Leao’s late winner fired Milan to a crucial 1-0 home triumph over Fiorentina last weekend, extending their winning streak in Serie A to three matches. However, there’s no room for complacency in the Rossoneri camp as Pioli expects his men to approach the game with the right attitude.
“It’s our attitude. Us and Verona score a lot even at the start of the game, the approach to the match will be important, even if the game is long. As always, we’ll try to change characteristics as the game progresses with substitutions,” he said as relayed by TUTTOmercatoWEB.
Pioli urged Milan to follow the example of Real Madrid, who pulled off a jaw-dropping comeback to pip Manchester City to the Champions League final in midweek. The Italian manager highlighted Madrid’s spirit as the main ingredient behind their stunning semi-final comeback against Europe’s most intimidating side.
“We have the Champions League semi-final in our minds, which Real won with their heart, spirit and mentality, you have to play every game to the max.“