The words of the Rossoneri coach after the home draw against Empoli: “There is regret above all for the first half, in the second half we did everything to win but the ball didn’t want to enter. I’m sorry for the result, not for the performance: We’re getting back to our levels. Rebic and Origi hurt? Had they scored, the judgment would have been different.” Now Napoli in the Champions League: “In the league we had more motivation, but Wednesday will be a different match”
AC MILAN 0-0 EMPOLI: HIGHLIGHTS
Many chances, but no goals and therefore a great wasted opportunity for a shot in the Champions League race. The Milan it doesn’t go beyond that 0-0 at San Siro againstEmpoli and for Stefano Pioli there can only be regret: “It’s not the result we wanted – the Rossoneri coach told Sky Sport – and I think the regret you can have it especially for the first time. We played with great intensity, conceding nothing to an opponent who usually creates a lot and in the second half we did everything to win, but the ball did not want to enter. It’s a shame, but I see the team healthy. The result is negative, the performance is not. It had been a long time since we had played with this energy, with this intensity and with this compactness, but me I am clearly sorry: let’s face it, we are Milan and we are returning from a great victory with Napoli. In any case, I say this as a coach of my team and I know it very well, I think we’re getting back to our levels. Then we can do even better, but our game is improving, that’s for sure.”
“Rebic and Origi? If they had scored different judgements. De Ketelaere…”
With Leao and Giroud initially on the bench, Rebic e Origi from the beginning they have not given the same guarantees: “It’s clear that goals are expected from the forwards, but we created the opportunities. The team played a good game – Pioli continued -, but when the victory doesn’t come it’s clear that something was missing. In any case the judgment would have been different if Rebic had scored in the first half or if Origi had better luck on the occasion when he didn’t heel“. Despite the large turnover, The Ketelaere he only came in late on: “He does everything in training to convince me – explained the Rossoneri coach -, but I didn’t want to change too much. Charles he is ready to contribute and he will. In training he works like and as much as his teammates, with quality and intensity, he will be ready when called, but he is mature and knows that he can overcome difficulties by working like this. Then my choices are to win games.”
see also
The highlights of Milan-Empoli 0-0
“With Napoli it won’t be like in the league”
In closing, a thought on the inevitable quarter-finals of the Champions League against Napoli after the incredible 4-0 by Maradona in the last round of the championship: “I didn’t do any genius – Pioli said referring to that match -, I just fielded a balanced team that played the game well. What I will say tomorrow to the guys is that in Naples we took advantage of one thing, that is that we needed them more: when there are these reasons, things change. It won’t be the same on Wednesday, both teams will play with great energy and I expect a strong Napoli, like last Sunday’s was strong. We we scored on the first real chance and the game changed, spaces have opened up and when we have spaces we are strong. Then, as I said, we needed them more and we proved it, but on Wednesday I expect a completely different race. We’ll analyze that game well, the situations change and we could even change something, we’ll see. We will have to be compact, attentive and determined. And we will be, because it’s such an important match… And then we play at San Siro, in the Champions League it’s a fantastic thing. Napoli are strong, only they, Benfica and Bayern Munich, among those still in the running in the Champions League, are first in the league: it means that the others, in order to spend a lot in the Champions League, have left something in the league”.
see also
The Milan-Empoli 0-0 report cards