Stefano Pioli insisted that nobody at AC Milan is getting carried away after the 1-0 win against Napoli last night, but urged the group to believe in their qualities.
Ismael Bennacer got the only goal of the game towards the end of the first half with a well-taken first-time finish after a break started by Brahim Diaz, and while Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa saw red in the second half for the Napoli they still came close to a leveller.
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Pioli spoke to Milan TV after the game to try and assess a very intense and open first leg, with his comments relayed below.
“Napoli could have chosen different methods after how the league game went. They attacked us more but we played a serious match with attention, quality and energy. Nobody thinks we’ve made it through, a complicated and balanced match awaits us as they always are Naples,” he began.
On the absence of center forward for Napoli…
“Napoli, even if they didn’t have a centre-forward, had their chances. Mike worked well. They have the best attack but we can do even better and we have the best defence in the last five games.
“We can’t think of conceding chances to an opponent with a lot of quality. We will also have to suffer in Naples but we also have our qualities. They will accept some counter-attacks but we are strong in this.”
On the fans…
“We enjoyed the atmosphere until the end of the game. The games are tough and tiring, you live them with such intensity. The environment was fantastic.”
