AC Milan
vs
Chievo
Match Schedule:
Date: October 25th
Time: 18:45 (GMT)
Andrea Pirlo has warned his Milan team-mates not to drop their level when they travel to Verona to face Chievo on Sunday.
The Rossoneri put a disappointing start in Serie A behind them to record the result of their season so far on Wednesday, a 3-2 Champions League victory at big-spending Real Madrid.
Coming after Sunday's 2-1 league win over Roma, it was enough to lift some of the pressure on coach Leonardo and suggest Milan may at last be turning the corner.
But Pirlo, who scored his side's opener at the Bernabeu, knows it will count for little if they cannot keep their form going in the less glamorous environs of the Stadio Marc'Antonio Bentegodi.
He told the Milan Channel: "Sunday evening's game will of course be a different ball game to the Bernabeu, but there are the same points at stake, therefore we must go onto the pitch with the same will and the same motivations.
"We must get a result in Verona as well."
Pirlo is aware his side's season is delicately poised after they won just two of their opening seven league games, and is hoping the midweek win will prove the catalyst for better things.
"The game arrived at a decisive point in our season," he said. "Winning on Sunday evening thanks to a comeback against Roma allowed us to go to Madrid to play our own game, to try to win.
"Even in the first half, when we were behind, we were always aware we had every chance of winning the game.
"We knew that, especially at the start of the season, we would have difficulties but our group, the club and the coach have always remained together, all close, all convinced of being able to do well."
Alexandre Pato, who bagged two against Madrid and one against Roma, will be keen to continue his fine form, but Milan will have to do without captain Massimo Ambrosini who is suspended after a red card against the Giallorossi.
Veteran midfielder Gennaro Gattuso is still troubled by a knee injury sustained while on international duty with Italy, while goalkeeper Marco Storari remains sidelined with a thigh injury so Dida will continue.
Chievo striker Erjon Bogdani is confident his team can make life difficult for Milan despite heading into the match on the back of a 2-1 loss to Bari.
"We can beat anyone," said Bogdani. "We have shown that already in the past.
"We have no fear and we are ready to have a great performance against a strong team like Milan.
"It's true that we didn't play well against Bari but a draw would have been a fair result. We must turn the page and focus on getting a result against Milan."
A victory tomorrow could see Chievo, for whom Mario Yepes is banned, overtake eighth-placed Milan in the standings as Domenico Di Carlo's side lie just one point behind the Rossoneri.
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