Ferencvaros boss Balazs ready to face ‘giant’ Milan with confidence: “Prepared for every eventuality”

Ferencvaros head coach Borbely Balazs insists that his side will come to San Siro and face AC Milan playing their way.

Having joined Ferencvaros from last season’s Hungarian title winners ETO Gyori, Balazs has made an excellent start to the campaign with his new club. They sit in third in their domestic league, two points off top but with a game in hand to be played.

They have racked up 20 games unbeaten across all competitions, also winning three games out of three in the Europa League too. A 3-1 away win at Celtic was followed by home wins over Viktoria Plzen (2-1) and Torreense (4-1), making them one of the early pace-setters.

So, this is a big opportunity for the Fradi, who will be backed by around 5,000 away fans. The head coach of the Hungarian side – Borbely Balazs – spoke at a press conference last night at San Siro about tonight’s contest, and his words were relayed by MilanPress.

Do you remember your last time at San Siro?

“It’s been a long time: more than twenty years have passed since I was last lucky enough to play at San Siro. It’s a shame, however, that we had to play in front of empty stands back then.

“It was still a fantastic experience: we faced true world-class stars, like Materazzi, Adriano, and Luis Figo. Despite the four-goal defeat, it remains a fond memory.”

What do you think of Milan?

“I’m not someone who likes to look too far ahead. When the draw determined that we’d face both AC Milan and Juventus, I was struck by the fact that we were facing two giants of Italian football, clubs with immense traditions.

“It’s a truly special occasion! It’s difficult to predict how AC Milan will play, given that they frequently change their tactical system. They have several players out due to injury or suspension, and we know they rotate a lot, so we had a clear idea of their starting line-up.

“However, we’ve prepared for every eventuality and arrived at San Siro with the right amount of confidence.”

How will you face the game?

“Our European campaign has been positive so far, but the match against Milan will be on a completely different level, even though we’ve faced strong opponents in recent months.

“The Rossoneri will likely retain possession more, so we’ll have to play with discipline, but we also need to be courageous when we attack.”

What do you think of Italian coaches?

“My role model is Carlo Ancelotti. I’ve always followed the careers of Italian coaches. I’m Slovakian, and since several Slovakian players have played in Serie A, I’ve also kept an eye on their careers, as well as the coaches they’ve worked with.”

Amorim spoke highly of your team…

“It’s a source of great pride for all of us who represent Hungarian football.”

Which player would you steal from AC Milan?

“Luka Modric.”