Pioli press conference: We return home with disappointment, lack of winning streak halts our lead

Stefano Pioli, AC Milan’s manager, opened up in a press conference following their defeat by Atalanta.

Analyzing their performance, Pioli admitted his team returned to Milan feeling disappointed as they had hoped for a positive result. He pointed out, “The red card handed to Calabria turned out to be fatal”. Although he felt that his team seemed to be doing better initially, Pioli acknowledged that Atalanta had a strong second half, according to Calcio News 24.

Pioli held that his team was managing fine until Calabria’s expulsion, after which the dynamics of the match drastically changed. He expressed confidence in his team’s tactical configuration, but lamented that certain situations escaped their control. Looking forward, he emphasized the need to bounce back in their Wednesday game.

Regarding the physical condition of the side, Pioli iterated, “I believe we could have lasted without problems until the end of the match if not for Calabria’s red card.”

Talking about young forward Rafael Leão’s status, he confirmed, “He had a good training session today and we will assess whether he will be available against Newcastle.”

As the squad looks towards the latter stages of the season and climbing the table, Pioli was clear about the difficulty. He stated, “We cannot hope to catch up with the teams ahead if we do not string together a series of victories.”

Finally, Pioli drew attention to the issue of bookings affecting their game’s outcomes. He admitted, “We are paying for that as well, as it can influence the result.” This suggests that he will be looking for fewer disciplinary issues on the pitch in their upcoming matches.