Rennes-Milan 3-2, Pioli: "Good qualification but we must be more solid and concentrated"

Rennes (France), 22 February 2024 – Despite suffering too much and with a decidedly subpar performance especially in defence, where another three goals conceded after the 4 conceded in Monza, Milan completes its mission and secures a pass to the round of 16 of the Europa League: in light of the 3-0 won by the Rossoneri at San Siro last week, in fact, the 3-2 achieved at Rennes by Pioli's men this evening in the second leg of the playoff proved to be irrelevant for the passage of the round. Milan tried to start strong after just 2' they ate a goal with Leao. A mistake paid dearly by Pioli's men, went behind in the 11th minute due to Buorigeaud's winning lash. However, the home team's lead lasted just 11 minutes, because in the 22nd minute Jovic headed the score level. An icy shower for Stephan's team who immediately reacted and rushed forward again, but had to wait until the 54th minute to restart the overtaking goal with Bourigeaud's second goal, signed on a penalty caused by Kjaer's foul on Terrier. However, yet another stubborn Rossoneri reaction did not take long to arrive it bore Leao's signature who, at the height of a serpentine facilitated by a rebound, in the 58th minute, surpassed Mandanda and deposited the ball in the net. However, he put the exclamation point on the match once again Bourigeaud, capable of completing a memorable personal hat-trick with the second penalty of his evening, which in fact launched the final forcing of the French, which Milan was able to resist with stubbornness. He breathes a sigh of relief and takes advantage of the good things done by his players who have achieved the qualification objective, but at the same time asks the Rossoneri coach for a further step forward as a team Stefano Pioli, speaking to Sky, at the end of the match: "We will certainly take with us the satisfaction of having overcome a difficult round - explained the Rossoneri coach -, which perhaps had seemed too easy after the first match, but this is Europe . We expected a complicated race. It's clear that we could have made better use of the spaces and counterattacks we had, but it's equally true that they did well at playing a very intense match with many offensive players. We have achieved an important qualification, even if there are still many situations to evaluate carefully and work on." However, Pioli underlines that they exist many improvements to be made both in the defensive and offensive phases: “I think tonight's match confirmed that we have significant attacking potential. If the opponents leave us space, we know how to be dangerous, but we have to find more solidity, attention and concede something less to the opponents." The AC Milan coach then prefers not to talk about two-speed performance when there are starters on the pitch and when there are so-called second lines: "We also suffered with Pulisic and Leao, and at the same time had opportunities. We need to be more of a team. I believe I have a strong group, not just the starting eleven. When the boys were called upon they were ready. Now let's think about recovering energy for the next match against Atalanta who have always beaten us this year." The gloss is on the Rossoneri's ambitions: “We want to try. In the championship we stopped after a good moment, but we want to try to look ahead and catch up with those ahead of us. In Europe, however, we will certainly meet a strong team but we are sure they will not be happy to meet us either."