Empoli head coach Aurelio Andreazzoli paid compliment to AC Milan’s quality and also the move that they put together for the first goal in today’s game at the Stadio Carlo Castellani.
Milan took care of business on this lunchtime as they beat relegation-threatened Empoli 3-0, and the majority of the work was done in the first half. Loftus-Cheek’s lovely strike put Stefano Pioli’s ahead in the opening quarter of an hour, then Olivier Giroud converted a penalty to make it 2-0.
After netting in the Coppa Italia on Tuesday night for his first senior goal for the Rossoneri, Chaka Traore came off the bench to add a third in the closing stages and make it a comfortable win in the end.
Andreazzoli spoke to Sky after his side’s defeat against Milan this afternoon, with his comments relayed by MilanNews.
How do you reflect on the game?
“It’s a complicated moment for us. Gyasi made himself available, he’s a wonderful boy. He was good because in that role he did what he had to do against top opponents. What worries me most? Both the table and the injuries, but the attitude of the boys leaves me a little more calm.
“In the second half we entered the field so as not to lose the second half. We did well in the second half, if we had had a bit of malice we could have opened the game back up again. I’m satisfied even if we didn’t win the second half, sorry for the late goal.
“We have to bow to the quality of Milan who achieved a lot by not doing much more than what Empoli did. We are halfway through the season and I have learned in my career that anything can happen in a group.
“We also need to change something and the club must take care of this. We try to make the best of who we have here.”
What about the difficulties scoring?
“My job is to make the team express itself as best as possible. We created more than Milan, but in the end Milan scored and that’s it. On the first goal, Milan made a good move that deserves compliments.
“We need to take chances, we need to improve in this. We can also do it with those who are already here, we’re not very lucky, but since it’s time we said it, it’s time to make something change. We can’t do more as a team.
“The philosophy must always be to look at the opponent’s goal, otherwise we’re dead. Since I’ve been here we’ve conceded 4 goals in one match, 3 in another, then either we haven’t conceded any or we have only one taken.
“The problem is that if you don’t score then it’s easier to concede goals. When we took the lead we won in Naples and Florence. The numbers must also be analysed for how they occur.”
Milan broke the deadlock after 11 minutes through Ruben Loftus-Cheek and doubled the lead from the spot with Olivier Giroud before the break, when a Youssef Maleh handball was spotted by VAR.
Football Italia attended Andreazzoli’s post-match press conference, and he went on an expletive rant about the decision and how the video assistants can come to such decisions.
“He touched the ball with the fingertip. Something like that affects the future of a team and a game! Come on! Did he touch it on purpose? Yes or no, the referee has to decide on that only.
“I am not talking about this game specifically; these things happened in other games too. I am not upset with the referees. I am backing the referees because they are involved in this fuc***g situation.
“Everyone’s talking about this fu*** VAR. Yesterday there were games, and all we heard on TV was VAR. It’s not the referees’ fault, they are involved in this rubbish situation. It’s time to make clear rules, this has become a joke.”
It’s called a handball. If it’s inside the box, it’s a PK. Andreazzoli should consult a book on soccer rules and learn that a handball inside the box is a PK. Does he want some cheese with his whine?
Um, that was clearly a handball. Touching it with your finger tips? Thats still an intervention. The player in question is not a goalkeeper. Clearly a penalty. Seems like Andreazzoli is more frustrated with his overall situation.
We have to be objective. He is right.
That’s so unreasonable to follow the word of the rule so blindly, it didn’t affect the path of the ball even so slightly.
No, he’s wrong. Based on FIFA and IFAB clarification, handball does not directly relate to the ball path changing. It’s how the player’s hand touch the ball. Deliberately touch with hand/arm or touches the ball with their hand/arm when it has made their body unnaturally bigger is considered as a handball.
So, it was 100% handball.