Pellegrini wary of Milan test

Malaga manager Manuel Pellegrini says it would be wrong for his side to underestimate AC Milan when they face each other on Wednesday.

Milan have endured a forgettable start to the season, having secured only two wins from their opening eight Serie A matches and the pressure is mounting on coach Massimiliano Allegri to arrest his side’s poor form.

By contrast, Malaga have made a strong start in La Liga to occupy third position and top Champions League Group C ahead of their Italian opponents with two wins from two.

And while Pellegrini is wary of Milan, the Chilean manager knows his side must focus on their own performance.

“It’s true they are not performing very well in Serie A but in the UEFA Champions League it is different and we need to respect them,” he told reporters.

“Milan is going through a massive change, they have changed eight or nine different players and they are paying for that in Serie A.

“They’re doing better in the UEFA Champions League but instead of worrying about them we’ll focus on our own game and try to perform at our best.”

Midfielder Joaquin echoed his manager’s sentiments and highlighted the quality at Milan’s disposals, which includes Brazilian striker Robinho.

“We’re happy with the challenge of hosting a great team such as Milan,” the former Valencia winger said.

“But even though they aren’t going through their best moments at this time, we need to be aware of their history in this competition.

“It is true we are performing well at home this year but we need to respect Milan – they are very experienced and have a very good squad.

“Robinho is a great player, he makes the difference and obviously when he doesn’t play it is better for us.

“But we shouldn’t focus on that and think it will be easy because they have a very good and experienced squad with top players. We know we need to perform at our best level.”