An elimination and a disappointing equal to be redeemed in Lecce to immediately overcome the negative moment, reduce the consequences and project themselves positively into Wednesday's Super Cup: Milan must win to ward off ghosts and criticism.
Stefano Pioli avoids dramatizing, categorically excludes that the Rossoneri are satisfied or that the sacred fire that guaranteed the Scudetto last season has gone out.
"I saw great determination and will in the eyes of the players. In the last two games we didn't achieve the results we wanted, we all have to do better, but I saw the desire to learn from mistakes. It's not a problem of determination but of lucidity. We have to improve the level", explains the Rossoneri coach.
Moment mistakes, not deep worries.
"We need something more in terms of attention - he explains - determination and quality. Against Turin we made 36 shots, only 8 on target. We tried to score from impossible positions. We lacked lucidity".
Pioli does not reject the performance in the Italian Cup, indeed all in all he appreciated the team's performance at least up to the numerical parity.
Then frenzy took over.
He wanted to talk about it immediately with the group, so much so that everyone slept in Milanello on Wednesday night.
"When something's wrong, I struggle to wait for the next day. I preferred to speak to my parents right away to explain what to do best and to let everyone rest well", he says.
Origi and Kjaer are back in Lecce, while Rebic will leave with the team in the hope that he can return to the Super Cup.
In fact, Milan's away match will last practically a week.
Slowly the Rossoneri infirmary is emptying, the emergency slowly returns.
And they are fundamental signs because, as explained by the manager Paolo Maldini before the Coppa Italia match, Milan will do practically nothing on the market.
The club is focused on renewals.
Yesterday Bennacer extended, now he has to tighten up for Giroud and Leao.
Probable formations of Lecce-Milan.
Lecce (4-3-3): 30 Falcone;
17 Gendrey, 6 Baschirotto, 93 Umtiti, 25 Gallo;
29 Blin, 42 Hjulmand, 16 Gonzalez;
27 Strefezza, 9 Colombo, 11 Di Francesco.
(1 Bleve, 21 Brancolini, 7 Askildsen, 8 Bistrovic, 13 Tuia, 14 Helgason, 22 Banda, 28 Oudin, 31 Persson, 32 Maleh, 77 Ceesay, 83 Lemmens, 97 Pezzella, 99 Rodriguez).
All.: Barons.
Disqualified: none.
Be wary: Di Francesco, Gonzalez, Umtiti.
Out: Cetin, Dermaku, Pongracic.
Milan (4-2-3-1): 1 Tatarusanu;
2 Calabria, 20 Kalulu, 23 Tomori, 19 Theo Hernandez;
4 Bennacer, 32 Pobega, 56 Saelemaekers, 10 Brahim Diaz, 17 Leao;
9 Giroud.
(53 Mirante, 96 Jundal, 21 Dest, 24 Kjaer, 46 Gabbia, 40 Vranckx, 14 Bakayoko, 30 Messias, 22 Lazetic, 90 De Ketelaere, 7 Adli., 27 Origi) All.: Pioli.
Suspended: Tonali Warning: none Unavailable: Ballo-Touré, Florenzi, Krunic, Ibrahimovic, Maignan, Rebic.
Referee: Orsato di Schio Odds Snai: 5.50;
3.90;
1.63.
