Milan, Italy – AC Milan’s head coach, Stefano Pioli, expressed his belief that his team could have secured at least a point in their Serie A clash with Juventus, even after enduring more than half the game with just 10 players. Despite their determined efforts, Pioli’s side fell to a 1-0 defeat at the San Siro after former Milan player Manuel Locatelli found the net with a deflected shot in the second half.
“It was not the result we wanted, but we played well with 11 men, we played well with 10 men, and we were at no point inferior to Juventus. So, I feel we could’ve got the result,” Pioli shared with DAZN.
Pioli’s assessment was based on Milan’s strong performance in the match, where they limited Juventus’ goal-scoring opportunities effectively. The pivotal moment of the game occurred just five minutes before halftime when defender Malick Thiaw received a red card for a last-man foul on Moise Kean.
Addressing the red card incident, Pioli acknowledged, “On the red card, it was a naive error, both individual and by the team. Thiaw should have stalled rather than chase him (Kean) down. At the same time, Thiaw was unlucky when he slipped, but he should have done better.”
Despite the defeat, Pioli remained unfazed and maintained his team’s confidence. This loss marked Milan’s second in Serie A this season, with their previous defeat being a 5-1 loss to Inter Milan in September. Pioli emphasized that his team does not evaluate their performances superficially and believes that they can bounce back.
“This defeat takes nothing off our confidence. We are not superficial in evaluating our performances,” Pioli stated. He added with optimism, “If we can recover from this the way we did after the derby with a run of victories, then we don’t mind.”
AC Milan’s upcoming schedule is packed, with a Champions League match against Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday, followed by a Serie A clash against Napoli next Sunday. Despite the challenges ahead, Pioli and his team are determined to bounce back and continue their positive run.
