Goals from Junior Messias and Ante Rebic helped AC Milan to earn a point against bottom-placed side Salernitana who scored through Federico Bonazzoli and Milan Duric.
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AC Milan head coach Stefano Pioli felt his side didn’t play their usual football in the 2-2 Serie A draw against Salernitana at Stadio Arechi on Saturday. The Italian tactician also conceded that his team didn’t play well in terms of “technique and choices”. Junior Messias put the visitors ahead with an early strike before Federico Bonazzoli equalised for Salernitana. Although the home side restored the lead through Milan Duric with less than 20 minutes remaining, Ante Rebic leveled the score for Milan on 77 minutes to share the spoils.
Also read: Real Madrid vs Alaves: Los Blancos thrash Alaves 3-0 to stay firm at the summit
?️ Coach Pioli and Messias’ post-match reactions after #SalernitanaMilan
?️ Le parole del Mister e di Messias dopo la trasferta di Salerno
#SempreMilan pic.twitter.com/o0h1DLKCxR— AC Milan (@acmilan) February 19, 2022
“The team did not play well in terms of technique and choices. We were frenetic, not clean in our passing, didn’t make the most of the spaces and paid a heavy price for some naïve errors,” the coach told Sky Sport Italia.
“We had started strong and took the lead, but we should’ve been more balanced on their goals and read the situations better. We were too frenetic and had several big chances to restore our lead after the break, but didn’t take them.
“We are disappointed because we didn’t play our usual football. Of course, we are disappointed, because we could’ve played better. The worrying thing is we started well, but then made mistakes that lately we haven’t been making and this frenetic energy took over, we were distracted on the goals with the preventative marking.
“It’s positive that we got it back for a draw, but we cannot deny we came here looking for the win. We’ve got to learn from our mistakes and do better next time.”
This was bottom against top in the Italian top flight, although the hosts have two games in hand due to fixtures called off amid their COVID-19 outbreak. They were making their debut under new coach Davide Nicola, their third of the campaign.
“I was on the Salernitana bench almost 20 years ago. It feels like a lifetime ago.”
The result has left the doors open of Inter Milan to leapfrog Milan into the top spot when they host Sassuolo on Sunday. Inter, who have played two games less, are just two points adrift of their city rivals,
