AC Milan were beaten 2-1 by Cremonese at San Siro on Matchday 1 of the 2025/26 season. After the game, Alexis Saelemaekers spoke to the media.
It was a game to forget for Milan. Though it will be difficult to, considering it was the same as most of last season. The Rossoneri were slow in most departments and lacked the key decisions when it mattered.
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Considering both goals were crosses, which were the Achilles heel of last season, the Diavolo have really not helped themselves at the start of this season. More so with the goals coming from the same areas, too.
Saelemaekers’ comments
It is a start to the Serie A season which no one will have wanted or expected, and now Massimiliano Allegri has a big task on his hands to get things back on track. Already, the belief in the squad seems to have dropped a little, and the crowd made their feelings known at full-time.
Facing the media after the game, Saelemaekers spoke to MilanTV via MilanNews.
A comment on the match…
“We didn’t expect this tonight. We’ve worked hard this week, but in football, you never know what kind of opponent you’ll face. Now we have to get back up together, as a group, and prepare for the next match.”
Did we need a little more determination in front of the goal?
“I think we had our chances, but we weren’t aggressive enough in front of the goal. That’s something we need to work on more, but that’s in the past now. We need to forget this game and focus on Lecce.”
Will you analyse the mistakes of this match to better prepare for the next one?
“Yes, obviously, we’ll work on the coach’s video and we’ll start from there to get back up together.”
MilanNews also relayed his words to DAZN.
“We lost a bit of concentration defensively, and it cost us the game. We need to get back on our feet as a united group, work hard, forget about this game, and focus on Lecce.”
How excited are you about this return to AC Milan?
“We all know that the AC Milan shirt is heavy, and it should be a source of pride to wear. When I wear it, I have to give it my all; I’ll always try to give my all on the pitch to get the three points.
“Everything wasn’t done, but I have to say that at 1-1, the fans’ joy was incredible, as was the help they gave us. We’re a little disappointed not to have given them the joy of the three points today; we’ll do everything we can to give them that next week.”
What’s your take on these problems?
“I think it’s very difficult to play against a team that plays with 11 men behind the ball. Today we didn’t have the determination in the final meters to break the net: that’s something we need to work on. But I think there were also positive things: we’ll calmly analyse them with the coach and work towards the next matches.”
Give this man an extension and a higher salary.
Rare bright spot tonight and his effort is always at a 100%, doesn’t matter what position he was played at
Don’t blaming anyone coach is mistake because the formations and yours several players like 8 and 19 you have Ricci, jachiri, modrich play in first game. rubish
Sala did all he could, never stopped trying. Meanwhile rlc and fofana were utter useless today
This. And the useless duo should have been benched at 60 minutes or even sooner.
You dont have quality to play modern football and that is. Why you think we have good team i realy dont know. Also we need coach like Pioli,Conte or Gasperini and maybe some of you players will be better.
Everything is wrong with this owners,coach and players
Simply the best player with determination on the field. And yet management considering for sell you to Juve.
Why he is in Milan…? Its not that caliber🫣
Fofana and Loftus are useless and need to go. Enough with these players!
a season long we saw that there is nothing to win with this defense, especially if we have the ball, passing performance is insane. Super skilled theo is gone and if you do not play 3-5-2 you have no spot for saladmaker. I just wonder why they thought this season will be better then the last one, w/o thiago silva 2.0 we are cooked – what to you think they pay for our defense compared to lets say inter?
gtfo fodder
Loftus and Fofana are not useless…we will surely need them against technical opponents in the midfield …. This game was against a team who close down spaces on the field. I think Ricci , Modric and Jashari would have done better with these kind of opponents who sits deep and defend… They have the vision and pass to find a narrow margin to give a deadly pass to our attackers