D’Aversa targets AC Milan: “We’re determined to get a result”

There’s only one thing in Roberto D’Aversa’s mind right now: Sampdoria vs AC Milan. His Serie A debut on the Samp bench will put his team straight to the test.

“It’s a tough start because we’re playing the team that finished second last season, and one that has strengthened a lot in the transfer market. We must show desire and determination, and make sure the result is different from the value of the squads.”

Asked about the Coppa Italia, he said: “I asked the lads to win the tie in 90 minutes, and we achieved that goal. We created a lot but we also made mistakes that we’ve analysed and that we mustn’t repeat, especially against strong opponents like AC Milan. On Monday night I’ll ask the team to go out on the pitch and respect Milan, but also play with a positive mentality and go beyond any technical differences to get a result.”

“It’s really important to have Maya Yoshida back,” continued D’Aversa. “He’s ready to play. With him we have all our international players back, which shows the quality of our squad but also the difficulties in working and managing the workloads for those who arrived later. The fans? It would be a pleasure to have their affection and warmth here in Bogliasco, but I can’t wait to see them at the stadium on Monday. I know how much they can push the team.”