AC Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic branded the defeat against Porto as the ‘worst game’ that the team have ‘ever played’ but insisted it will serve the team well.
Having lost their opening two group stage games against Liverpool and Atletico Madrid, there was an urgency to get a win on the board and to try and bridge what was a four-point gap to Atletico.
However, Milan did not deserve anything on the night and limped to a 1-0 defeat with Porto’s danger man Luis Diaz getting the only goal and his seventh of the season as the Rossoneri failed to muster a single concrete chance themselves.
Ibrahimovic spoke to SportMediaset after the game and offered a very honest reflection on what can only be described as an anti-climax from Milan in a match where more was expected, and MilanNews relayed his comments.
“We didn’t deserve the point, it’s the worst game we’ve played yet [out of the three]. But this is football. We are at zero points, but we must continue. For many in this team it is the first time in the Champions League, they have to grow and learn. Competitions in the Champions League bring experience to the league,” he said.
“There are so many players missing, but this is part of football. I just got back and I’m happy to play, I need more minutes to find rhythm. The more I play the more the rhythm returns. It was the first match for Bakayoko too, but I don’t want to find excuses: in the next match we have to do better.”
The result means that the Rossoneri have played three and lost three in their return to the Champions League after a seven-year absence and are four points off second place with three games to play.
“There are three games to go, we fought to be in the Champions League and as long as there is a chance we are aiming for the goal. Unfortunately we lost today, but I’m confident.”
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