Adrien Rabiot has admitted that AC Milan did not keep a level head during their loss to Udinese, but hit back at the boos towards Rafael Leao.
Udinese ran out 3-0 winners at San Siro as a result of an unfortunate own-goal from Davide Bartesaghi, a header from Ekkelenkamp and a final blow in the final 20 minutes from Arthur Atta, whose cross yielded the first goal.
The tactical changes made by Massimiliano Allegri – including a new attacking trio of Saelemaekers-Leão-Pulisic and a four-man defence – didn’t produce the desired effect on a bitter evening, nor did they help to calm the concerns that hanging onto a top four spot will be tough.
Rabiot: Milan suffering ‘physical and mental decline’
Rabiot spoke to Sky after the final whistle at San Siro, which was followed by a number of jeers from the fans as the players went off. MilanNews relayed what the Frenchman had to say.
Do you sense the coach’s concern? How do you handle it?
“He was calm, he told us to stay calm, that the objective is still there, that we have to go and achieve it. We have to switch immediately and focus on Verona. Stay calm, calm, and work hard this week. He was very calm.”
Why have Milan been so bad in this second half of the season?
“I think it’s a physical decline, a mental decline, and a bit of fatigue, it’s true. In this match, we saw less solidity, which we know when we defend well, we find the goal and win. Today we were disorganised, we conceded two goals, and we were wandering around the pitch.
“What we can’t do is try to get back in the game right away when we’re two goals down, but we shouldn’t do that. We have to work hard, stay calm, because we’re in third place. We have to focus on the match in Verona.”
Were you also lacking clarity?
“Yes, yes, that’s right. We all made mistakes, myself included. I also lacked clarity on some things. Especially the preventive markings – the coach always says it before the game, even at half-time – we lost clarity because we wanted to score, to go forward with a lot of men.
“Then it’s true that at this moment on the pitch I also lost the clarity to look and tell the others to stay more focused. We’ll review this later and talk about it.”
You tried hard but you were a little unlucky too…
“Yes, that’s also the problem lately. We create a lot of chances but we don’t convert them. Then, when we defend poorly, you concede goals. So we have to work on all of this.”
Do you have anything to say to the fans?
“I can understand the boos, especially since it was a tough defeat. What disappointed me was the boos directed at Leao, because I think we need to help him, support him, and this doesn’t help him. We’re all in this together, until the end, so it was a bit unpleasant.”
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no i think today you play for bet 365, its gambling
Leo is not a MILAN player, someone who doesn’t Care about the team and our site, everything he smiles that useless smile. He doesn’t put His mind on the pitch,if it’s music he wants, let him go. With leo Milan can never achieve titles again.
Leao has now become really disgusting. He is lazy, stupid, ignorant, inconsistent and not a real soccer player although he thinks he is a great. His runs on the left have disappeared completely; he hardly ever fights for the ball and generally loses it whenever he has it; his shots are wild; has now fully taken the maddening milan habit of always passing the ball backwards; always slips at the wrong moment – in short WHEN HE IS AROUND MILAN PLAY WITH 10 MEN. MILAN SHOULD GET RID OF HIM FIRST THING THIS SUMMER THOUGH HIS VALUE MUST HAVE GONE DOWN CONSIDERABLY. Also i wonder which team would want him!!!!!
Leao has only one valid excuse. When that other rebel Theo left, he had no one to partner him on the left though in the last year or two the magic of this partnership had already vanished.
Hi Carlo, Leao is a winger being played as a striker. What do you think about the rest of the team?
Be Winter watched 2 goals in, thru him
Be winter cannot defend.
don’t use mr. unknown and be winter again!
I like the idea of a 4-3-3 formation, but the upcoming transfer window will be a key factor to it’s success. Till then keep evolving.
Smile
Stop batching Leao….Is he a striker ???? Pls turn your yelling to the management who can’t get proper striker and Allegri who is using out of position ! You guys should stop being mentally shortsighted.
Its funny how everybody scapegoats Leao whenever anything goes wrong on d pitch.. leao has played with injury and out of position all season, he is still d highest goal scorer in d team…. u all.cloae.ur eyes to d rubbish mercato, allergies rubbish style,… what changed in quality from.last season? Management sold theo to.buy estupid, laid of tammy to bring fulkrug, just rubbish buys everywhere on d pitch
. No serious club will ever make .modric the starting CDM… no possible