Milan, Pioli: “Champions great goal, but we could have done more”

“Reaching the Champions League is a beautiful goal.” Stefano Pioli finds his smile again after officially hitting the important goal with Milan thanks to Turin’s 0-1 victory against Juventus: “The Champions League gave us more than we expected but also a lot of bitterness, going out in the semifinal against “Inter. We did less than we could in the league,” he points out. “This year was the first time we tried to be competitive on two fronts and we lacked something, that’s the truth. Let’s enjoy the victory, and then it was a special season: we went 5 months without Maignan, best goalkeeper championship. And then our best players took part in the World Cup”.

“We had ups and downs but we always stuck together”

At the end of the match, in the circle in midfield, he gathered the team: “They (the players, ed) spoke”, he reveals, “as it should be. They were the main players. We wanted to do well with Juve for not get to play it in the last game. They celebrated as it should and I can only thank them. We’ve had ups and downs but the group has never stopped believing in work, in being cohesive”.

“To aim for two competitions, the squad must be strengthened”

Now we look to next season and possible reinforcements: “It always depends on the expectations we want to achieve. If we want to be competitive to win the championship and reach the semi-finals of the Champions League, it is clear that the team needs to improve. To compete in two competitions of this level “We need strong players and if they’re young I’m happy because they’re sponges and they’re enthusiastic. If the club wants to be competitive in both competitions, it clearly needs to build a competitive squad.” Pioli doesn’t know if this is the will of the club: “I am the coach, you have to ask Maldini and Massara who are interlocutors with the owners and will know what they will have available”.

“Regrets about the module change? It was necessary in February”

Finally, an answer to those who asked him if he would return form in February: “In a year, there are many choices that can be changed but I don’t think that’s it. We had reached a moment when we were no longer a team and let’s not forget that we are “We stayed aggressive. That game system allowed us to overcome Tottenham, the only way we could overcome them. Then when the condition of our players returned, we went back to playing with the 4-2-3-1 formation,” he concludes.