AC Milan manager Stefano Pioli was not present at the pre-match press conference for the crucial derby tie against Inter Milan, which confirmed the Nerazzurri's Serie A title. Despite this, Pioli shared his insights and reflections by accepting an exclusive interview with DAZN.
PIOLI TOLD DAZN: "IT WAS THE MOST TORTUOUS NIGHT SINCE I TOOK CHARGE OF AC ...... Have you spoken to the team?" he added, "I went into the dressing room to try to boost morale, and overall, the defeat was a big blow to us. I'm doing everything I can to motivate the players to regain their confidence because the league isn't over yet and we have a crucial game ahead of us on Saturday. Unfortunately, we couldn't get a draw in this derby. ”
Commenting on the opening three-rear-back, Pioli admitted: "Tactically speaking, I'm disappointed with the decision. Our original intention was to try to avoid a two-on-two situation in the game, keep defending low and wait patiently for the opportunity to counter-attack. However, it got tricky after Inter broke the deadlock with a first-half corner. Even though we were good at certain stages, especially after Rafa missed a good chance, the strategy of keeping the defence down to prevent another goal from conceding in the second half didn't work. It was a lot of fighting spirit and perseverance, but the goal it did complicate the game and we created a lot of chances but couldn't equalise. ”
Commenting on the 17-point gap to Inter Milan, Pioli said: "They have a convincing record, losing just one game and making almost no mistakes. There's no doubt that Inter Milan have built the strongest squad in the league over the past three or four seasons. We have suffered two defeats and two draws this month, and the key is that we have not been able to maintain a high level of performance consistently. That's the reality – the stark gap between Inter and the rest of the squad shows that they are superior and reminds other teams, including ourselves, that they have to catch up. ”
Reflecting on the games against Roma and Inter Milan, Pioli said: "We had a great start and were at the top of the table at one point. However, after a difficult mid-season period, we came into these two tough battles with a seven-game winning streak. The game against Roma didn't go as expected, despite our all-out efforts and the main players in good form. Unfortunately, in both games, we didn't play as well as we should and didn't achieve the goals we set out. The same was true for tonight's derby, which was relatively evenly balanced, but the end result was not enough. But I don't criticize the players for their dedication and performance on the pitch, they could have done better when it mattered. ”
On the question of whether AC Milan's current development cycle is over, Pioli responded: "It's impossible to predict. I note that a similar analysis of Inzaghi's situation has been made before, and that he faced a difficult situation 14 months ago, but what he has achieved since then is clear to all. At the moment, I'm in good personal shape, I'm doing well and I'm confident that there is still room for improvement. Now it's time to get the best out of the rest of the league journey and then make the most informed assessment. ”