Gennaro Gattuso dismissed the notion that AC Milan have nothing left to play for with Serie A's Champions League places all but out of sight.
Following their 1-1 draw with Torino on Wednesday, Milan are 10 points adrift of the top four, but with five games remaining they still have work to do to secure a Europa League berth.
The Rossoneri are sixth in the league and through to the final of the Coppa Italia, giving Gattuso's men two opportunities to qualify, yet he remains wary of a challenge from the sides further down the table.
"I hear that we no longer have any incentive as we will no longer go to the Champions League, but this is bar chat because I and the players have to show a lot more," Gattuso said in a news conference, before assessing his Serie A rivals.
"It is not just Atalanta - it is no coincidence that Sampdoria scored in the 93rd minute [against Bologna on Wednesday] and Fiorentina are strong.
"All these teams can make it, so we must not forget everything we have done in these months, from where we started, how we were mentally and physically.
: "The is very important. must play in an international competition. It's definitely better to be sixths than sevenths because it would be better to avoid the preliminary rounds" April 20, 2018
"Milan cannot be out of Europe, for the club's history and for my [coaching] journey. Getting sixth place is much more important than getting seventh, to [potentially] avoid two more preliminary rounds.
"It is important for the club and the players to qualify for Europe."
