Third place first, then everything else. The match in Siena is worth an entire season for Milan, as well as a good slice of the next one. At stake is not a cup, but the chance to play for one in 2013/14, which, balance in hand, is almost worth more. Once Franchi's 90 minutes are over, it will be time to dissolve the reservations on the Milan of the future, starting with Massimiliano Allegri. Silvio Berlusconi could have reassured everyone, but his visit to Milanello was skipped; fault of unspecified commitments, he let the Rossoneri know, the desire to avoid embarrassing questions, most thought.
Because after Cavaliere's latest statement (“Allegri is already from Rome” he would have revealed at a dinner with friends) it would have been impossible to divert the subject. “He had informed me that he would come to Milanello to show his support for him – commented the coach at the press conference. – I and the boys are sorry that, for personal reasons, he was unable to come”. Good Massimiliano keeps his mask on, on the other hand after having withstood three years of barbs it would be foolish to blurt out right now. The objective of third place is within reach, now all we have to do is take it. Then he will communicate his future, which seems increasingly distant from Milan. “It makes no sense to talk about it now – he commented yesterday. – We have the lead in the match against Siena. It only makes sense to talk about this. The stakes are too high, the Champions League is essential and we are all focused on this. Talking about my future is useless. Have I already decided? No, I haven't decided anything yet. I'll have to talk to the club, as Galliani said."
A joke that is very fashionable among coaches from all over Europe, and which usually anticipates a farewell. Then there are the Conte cases in which everything turns out for the best, but they are rare and in any case they always leave some aftermath. In any case, there will be a lot of talk about this from 22.30 pm onwards, when Bergonzi will sanction the end of Siena-Milan. A fundamental match, with Fiorentina interested spectators. “They too have had a great championship so far, just inferior to ours, given that we have two points more – thought Allegri. – Sorry that someone stays out of the Champions League, let's hope it's them. It will be a complicated match with Siena, they will try to achieve a great result, to leave Serie A in front of their fans. They played well in Naples, it won't be a decommissioned Siena. We have to try to win, for this fundamental third place for the Champions League.
But even if we were to finish fourth, it wouldn't be a failure." The coach from Livorno doesn't want to reduce his work to one game, but he knows how football works. The goals are clear right from the start, whoever doesn't reach them has failed, regardless of the modalities of a badly started season and reversed in the continuation of the same. “In the beginning there was a lot of mistrust, you could feel it in the air, instead the boys calmly recovered and played a very important season – he continued drawing up a sort of balance sheet. – I only have to thank them, as I have to thank the club, which kept me after the first eight games…”. Waiting to know if he will do it again in the future, Allegri has already prepared the anti-Siena chessboard. Boateng's knee injury forces him to change his game in attack, but Montolivo's recovery is too good news to be tarnished. Also because there is no shortage of solutions up front: Niang, Robinho, or Pazzini, with Balotelli moved to the outside. Milan must win (in the event of a draw, and Fiorentina's concomitant victory in Pescara, the Viola would go to the Champions League by virtue of direct matches), no matter how. The future passes through here, without exception.
POSSIBLE FORMATIONS
Siena (3-4-2-1): pegola; Terzi, Terlizzi, Felipe; Vitiello, Calello, Della Rocca, Rubin; Rosina, Sestu; Emeghara.
On the bench: Farelli, Paci, Uvini, Bolzoni, Angelo, Belmonte, Matheu, Valiani, Verre, Agra, Paolucci, Bogdani.
Trainer: Joseph Iachini.
Unavailable: Vergassola, Matheu, Pozzi, Grillo, Reginaldo.
Disqualified: nobody.
Beware: Pegolo, Sestu, Rubin, Bogdani, Emeghara, Terlizzi, Terzi.
AC Milan (4-3-3): Have you; Abate, Zapata, Mexes, De Sciglio; Flamini, Montolivo, Ambrosini; Robinho, Balotelli, El Shaarawy.
On the bench: Amelia, Gabriel, Yepes, Bonera, Antonini, Zaccardo, Constant, Salamon, Traore, Nocerino, Pazzini, Niang.
Trainer: Massimiliano Allegri.
Unavailable: De Jong, Bojan, Boateng.
Disqualified: Muntari (2).
Beware: Balotelli, De Jong, El Shaarawy, Flamini, Muntari, Mexes, Nocerino, Pazzini, Yepes, Zaccardo.
Referee: Mauro Bergonzi (Genoa).
Line Assistants: By Liberatore – Cariolato.
Port Assistants: Damato – Russian.
Fourth official: Dobosz.
