The press conference held on Friday by Allegri at Milanello was decidedly blaugrana. Despite the Parma match just around the corner, the topic of the day was the draw for the Champions League, which will see Milan opposed to the great Barça. “Let's look at the positive side, if we go through the fourth we have many chances to go to the final – joked Allegri – We played two games with Barça, we had a good defensive match away and we played it in Milan. We have to believe in ourselves even if we face the strongest team. No shocks. We know that to get to the final you still have to face the greats like Barça, Real and Bayern."
Adriano Galliani shares the same opinion, who despite respecting the European champions doesn't feel beaten at the start: “The draw has been going like this for years, we don't feel psychological subjection, it will be tough for them too. We are proud to be in the Champions League, we will have to do a little better than in the group stage when we lost 5-4 with a somewhat generous penalty for them. We have culture and tradition like Barça, it will be a celebration of football." Returning to Milanello, Allegri repeatedly called attention to Parma.
In fact, Barcelona risks distracting the team, awaiting a difficult and delicate trip to Emilia: “Now we have to think one game at a time: now there's Parma, then there's Juve in the Italian Cup and then Roma, the draw has now been made and it is useless to throw away mental energies on this. Now the energies must be channeled into the match in Parma against a team that has always done well with the big teams, it's an important moment in the championship and we can't play on tiptoe".
Milan will once again have to deal with laccident emergency, which continues to haunt Mr. Allegri's nights. It is above all the defense that causes concern: Abate's injury, combined with the absences of Nesta and Mexes, will force the Rossoneri coach to experiment with new solutions. Problems also in midfield and in attack: Van Bommel, blocked by back pain, won't be there and even Aquilani is still far from the best condition. Safe absence also for Robinho, dealing with a blow to the ankle, while Maxi Lopez should meet again.
The good news is about it Gattuso, who after a long time will be back at the team's disposal, as well as Seedorf. "I would like to have fewer injured players, but as we have done up to now we must try to give our best, fortunately I have a long squad and everyone must give their contribution - said Allegri, who then returned to this weekend's opponent - Parma it has important players, above all Giovinco, it's an organized team that concedes little and is very aggressive, I don't think it will turn out to be a good match”.
In closing, the Rossoneri coach then fired yet another dig at Conte and Juventus, which provoked the response of the Juventus coach: “As I said and as I repeat the Italian referee class is of an excellent level, occasionally there are decisions that can be favorable or unfavorable, then usually they compensate. Afterwards, if everyone makes a dossier, no one puts things in their favour, so the best thing is to leave them calm".
POSSIBLE FORMATIONS
Parma (3-5-2): looking; Zaccardo, Paletta, Lucarelli; Biabiany, Mariga, Morrone, Valdes, Modesto; Floccari, Giovinco.
Trainer: Roberto Donadoni
On the bench: Pavarini, Santacroce, Jonathan, Musacci, Valiani, Marques, Okaka.
Disqualified: no
Unavailable: Galloppa, Gobbi, Palladino.
AC Milan (4-3-1-2): Have you; Zambrotta, Bonera, Thiago Silva, Antonini; Nocerino, Ambrosini, Muntari; Emmanuelson; Ibrahimovic, El Shaarawy.
Trainer: Massimiliano Allegri.
On the bench: Amelia, Yepes, Mesbah, Aquilani, Gattuso, Maxi Lopez, Inzaghi.
Disqualified: Mexico (1)
Unavailable: Pato, Boateng, Merkel, Strasser, Rome, Flamini, Cassano, Nesta, Robinho, Abate, Van Bommel.
Referee: Luca Banti (Livorno) Assistants: Iannello – Bianchi Fourth man: Gervasoni
