19 April 2023
Massimilaino Allegri and Alex Sandro took their place at the conference room at the Estádio José Alvalade on the eve of the Europa League quarter-final second leg against Sporting CP.
Both the coach and the defender expect a tough match, when it will not be enough to simply defend the 1-0 lead from the first leg last week in Turin.
MASSIMILIANO ALLEGRI
"We have to approach the game as if it were a once-off match. We can't think about the first leg. Sporting are a team that knocked out Arsenal. It's going to be difficult but at this point it's normal to face teams of this level. It is unthinkable to try defend our 1-0 lead over the 90 minutes. We have to try to score, although there will be times when we will have to defend as a team. We will need to be patient, especially when they're on the attack because of the support of the home crowd.
"[Wojciech] Szczesny will be back in the starting line-up, while Alex Sandro will also play from the first minute. Tomorrow I will weigh up who'll play in attack.
"We are in the Europa League, an important competition.Winning it would give us access to the Champions League and above all it would be a great satisfaction for the work done by the group."
ALEX SANDRO
"This cup is one of our objectives. I'm thinking only about doing my best to help the team and my teammates. If given the opportunity to play tomorrow, I'll give my all, like all of us.
"It was an intense match in the first leg, tomorrow's will be likewise. Our goal is to go through because the team has been growing and we've been working well in recent months and winning would help us. It is clear that we too are waiting to know what will happen with the club's appeal - 15 points more would be a huge boost - but our heads are only on the match here in Lisbon."
