Group stage: Milan - Schalke Preview
"Have to rise above ourselves", says Rangnick
For Schalke 04, Tuesday's match at AC Milan is like a cup final with a place in the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League at stake. "We'll be playing to win, because that's the only way we can we make it under our own steam", said head coach Ralf Rangnick, setting a clear objective for his team.
Rangnick says Schalke go into the game against the Italian champions as outsiders, "though our form is improving all the time. It's a massive match for us and a major challenge. But if we rise above ourselves, we are capable of holding our own at the home of one of the best club sides in the world."
The pressure was on the Italians in any case, Rangnick continued. "We have the ability to play really well here. If we do, Milan could start to feel the pressure. Because it would be a major disaster if they were to go out of the Champions League in the group phase", he explained.
And so the position is clear. If the Royal Blues win or draw 3-3 or higher, they will go through automatically. Any other result will leave them looking to the clash in Eindhoven between PSV and Fenerbahce. If the Dutch side fail to win, the Royal Blues will also qualify automatically.
At Monday's press conference much of the talk centred on one Schalke player: Christian Poulsen. After a strong performance against Kaka in the reverse fixture the Danish international came in for some unjust criticism in the Italian media. This time the Italian journalists wanted to know what instructions Rangnick would be giving the Dane before the match. "I'll tell him to play just as aggressively as in the first game. He knows the crowd will be watching him very closely and will react accordingly. Christian has to operate with a warm heart and a cool head. The rest of the team will go out of their way to help him as well."
A statement confirmed by Levan Kobiashvili. "Christian is the head of the team, he'll get all the support he needs on the pitch and I hope he will put in another superb performance, just as he did at home against Milan."
For Rangnick and the majority of his players it will be the first appearance at the San Siro. The Schalke boss is expecting a fantastic atmosphere and hopes "that the pitch is better than its reputation, as both teams deserve to be able to play under the best possible conditions."
And he won't have any problems motivating his side for this all-important game. "All the players are up for it. It's the biggest game of their career. When we come to discuss tactics, I won't need to say much about our opponents because the players already know who they're up against." The Schalke coach was in any case keeping his cards close to his chest as far as tactics are concerned. "We'll be going out to win, but an explanation as to how we go about it will be reserved for my players and not the media."
Some doubt remains over the fitness of Brazilian defender Marcelo Bordon, whose thigh injury is still giving him trouble. "Levan Kobiashvili is also struggling with a slight cold."
