It was a great trip, a goal would have changed everything! How did coach Pioli comment on AC Milan’s elimination from the Champions League?

AC Milan’s journey through the current Champions League season is over. In the semi-finals, Stefano Pioli’s charges failed to beat Inter, who recorded their fourth win in a row in the Derby della Madonnina. How did coach Pioli comment on AC’s elimination?

AC Milan failed to beat their arch rivals in the much-watched Derby della Madonnina in the Champions League semi-final double-header. Not only according to the result, it can be said that they are deservedly out of the most prestigious club competition in the world.

Inter scored two quick goals in the first leg, with Edin Džeko scoring in the eighth minute and Henrik Mkhitaryan scoring three minutes later.

Well, as it seems, the Rossoneri paid heavily for those two goals and their lack of focus in the opening minutes of the first leg.

In the second game, though, the first 20 to 25 minutes belonged to them. However, no goal came out of the conquest of Inter’s goal. Brahim Díaz and Rafael Leão had the big chances, but Pioli’s charges did not create any more chances in the second half.

On the contrary, it was Inter who were the more dangerous side, and in the 74th minute Lautaro Martinez put them in front by shooting past Mike Maignano to secure his team’s qualification for the final.

Inter will therefore play the Champions League final again after 13 years and can look forward to one of the Manchester City – Real Madrid pairing. The Nerazzurri, it should be added, have finally managed to beat or eliminate their arch rivals in the knockout stage of the world’s most prestigious club competition.

It was a great journey, a goal would have changed everything

So the current Champions League season is over for the Rossoneri. They can concentrate on the last three league rounds, where they have to fight for a position in the Champions League for next year.

“There is a huge disappointment, we will not beat around the bush. It’s been a great journey and nobody would have expected a team that crashed out in the group stage last season to reach the semi-finals, beating teams like Tottenham and Napoli. But we still wanted to reach the final,” Pioli told Sport Mediaset.

“We had two or three promising chances in the first half. A goal would have changed everything, would have encouraged us. After that, Inter kept the lead. Of course we are disappointed, we played a great season in the Champions League. The players gave their best in both games. However, Inter deservedly won and we congratulate them on their progress,” he acknowledged the quality of their opponents.

Finally, Pioli also pointed out that it would be a real disappointment if the Rossoneri did not qualify for the Champions League next season. Thus, in the domestic competition, they must do everything to ensure that this scenario does not come true.

There are three games left until the end of the 2022/23 league season. On Saturday, AC will play a home game against Sampdoria, in the following round they will face Juventus on their soil. The Rossoneri will play their last game at home against Verona.

Serie A, UEFA Champions League, Football Italia, Sport Mediaset