Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi has said that AC Milan deserved to beat Napoli over two legs in their Champions League quarter-final.
Milan booked their place in the semi-finals of the Champions League for the first time since the 2006-07 season as they drew 1-1 at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, sealing a 2-1 aggregate victory on a dramatic night.
The Rossoneri have in turn set up a final four meeting with their city rivals Inter, meaning there will be a European derby for the first time since 2005 and one in the semis for the first time since 2003, when Milan went on to win the competition.
Interviewed by La Gazzetta dello Sport, De Zerbi – who will lead out Brighton in an FA Cup semi-final against Manchester United at Wembley tomorrow – spoke about Italian clubs in the Champions League.
“Milan-Inter is a particularly important match for Italian football, it has its weight,” he said (via SempreMilan.it).
“I’m sorry for Napoli, but it must be recognised that the Rossoneri know better the Champions League and the cups in general, they deserved to win the double challenge.”