Stefano Pioli, addressing the media following his team’s match against Rennes on Thursday evening, acknowledged the deficiencies displayed by AC Milan during the encounter. Despite this, he affirmed the club’s ambition to lift the trophy by the end of the campaign.
AC Milan suffered a 3-2 defeat against Rennes in the Europa League knockout play-off round, yet managed to advance to the Round of 16 with a 5-3 aggregate score. Despite trailing three times during the match, Milan secured goals from Luka Jovic and Rafael Leao in the 22nd and 58th minutes, respectively.
During his post-match interviews and press conference, Pioli emphasized Milan’s determination in both Serie A and the Europa League, and offered his assessments on players such as Jovic, Leao, and Christian Pulisic.
Pioli expressed his satisfaction with overcoming a challenging tie, stating, “We will go home with the satisfaction of getting through a difficult tie. At times it seemed too easy, but this is Europe.” Regarding Milan’s prospects of winning the trophy, Pioli affirmed, “We want to try, that much is clear.”
Commenting on potential squad replacements and player depth, Pioli dismissed concerns, stating, “No, we can’t think of it like that. We still suffered, even when Pulisic and Leao were on. I don’t think like I only have 11 starters, I have a strong group with important players who are all ready to play.”
Pioli also addressed the recent performance of Luka Jovic, acknowledging his opportunities in the team but highlighting the need for improvement. Regarding injuries, Pioli provided an update on Pierre Kalulu and Fikayo Tomori, stating, “Kalulu and Tomori are fine. They will train with us tomorrow and we will see if they are available for the weekend or if we have to wait until Lazio.”