Slavia Praha head coach Jindrich Trpisovsky has made the bold declaration that his side will beat AC Milan in the return leg, and he is right to feel optimistic after last night’s showing.
The fact that Milan scored four goals, won the game and walked off the pitch perhaps not feeling best pleased says a lot about how proceedings went, especially after the red card inside 30 minutes for Slavia.
Olivier Giroud found the opener with a header, then Doudera’s equaliser stunned the San Siro crowd, but Tijjani Reijnders and Ruben Loftus-Cheek struck in quick succession before the interval to give the Rossoneri a 3-1 lead at the break.
It looked like the floodgates had opened, but then Schranz halved the deficit for the Czech side who began to believe and pushed hard to equalise, then right at the end Christian Pulisic’s tap-in gave Milan some relief as the game finished 4-2.
Trpisovsky spoke in his post-match press conference at San Siro and reflected on what was a very encouraging performance from his side given the circumstances, with MilanNews relaying his comments.
An opinion on the result?
“There is a chance to come back, we will push harder at home. In the first 25 minutes it was a good match, we did even better than Milan. Then after the red card the match changed. Without the sending off, the match would have been much more intense.
“Physically we showed good preparation, even scoring goals when a man down. We lost 4-2, I hope that at home we will be able to do something better, perhaps overcoming the deficit. I’m sure we’ll win at home.”
Do you agree with the expulsion?
“I haven’t seen the replay yet, but if he was sent off he was sent off. Then I’m not completely convinced, but I’m not the referee.”
Disappointed by the fourth goal?
“I’m sorry that we couldn’t show more by playing with 11 men, I think there would have been a different result. Then I’m happy all the same, because my players didn’t play badly.
“Without a player the patterns change. For the fourth I’m really sorry about the goal. We will remember very well all the four goals we conceded and the two we scored.”
Yesterday you paid a lot of compliments to Milan, were you a bit disappointed by them?
“What I said yesterday about Milan is also valid today. Today’s performance was perhaps less sensational, but then there are players who perform based on how their opponents play. If we had defended less well, the result for us could have been worse.”
“Today Milan were not particularly brilliant, but Milan did not disappoint me. The successes of Milan’s history are brilliant. What my players encountered today is Milan in line with what we know.”
Convinced of winning at home?
“I am very convinced, or rather super convinced, having this very good team and excellent fans, with a full stadium in Prague, that we will be even better prepared at home.
“It will be a difficult match. I absolutely don’t feel out of it. I am convinced that going through is feasible, we are confident and believe in our strengths. For us it would be incredible if it happened.”
Of course he is sure. They scored not once, but twice while being a man down. Our defense leaks like a sieve.
We showed them most of our weaknesses in a single game. We demonstrated just how much we struggle and lack tactical solutions for a low block, we showed them how much room we leave in the 2nd third which leaves us vulnerable to counter attacks, we demonstrated over and over again we do not know how to defend set pace and that any ball going towards our goal is more than likely gonna end up in the back of the net. Only way for them not to score is to miss the goal entirely.
I would be confident to if I was in his shoes.
They are 2 behind and they will still be behind after another 90mins, our team is also confident that they will go through