AC Milan secured a 2-1 win over Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on Tuesday night, keeping our hopes of advancing from the group very much alive.
The Rossoneri were in desperate need of a positive result in this one, having squandered chances to win in our opening two games to be held to consecutive draws, before losing to PSG away last time out.
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However, we now sit two points adrift of Borussia Dortmund in top spot with two games remaining, with the Bundesliga outfit still to visit San Siro, while Milan will also travel to Newcastle Utd.
Nevertheless, goals from Rafael Leao and Olivier Giroud ensured we picked up all three points this week, and it was a much-needed boost after a difficult period.
Perfect response after pressure was building
A lot of emphasis was placed on this game in terms of the Milan players producing a reaction after our recent poor form, which culminated in a bitterly disappointing loss to Udinese last weekend.
Aside from the fact that our hopes of advancing to the knockout stage were on the line, it was imperative that we saw something from the players to ensure we didn’t slip deeper into trouble.
There’s nothing like a big European night at San Siro to get the best out of the team though, as there was intensity, urgency and desire right across the pitch to produce a performance that also got the supporters back onside after jeers at full-time on Saturday.
Pioli gets the reaction needed from players
As noted in a preview piece, this all had to start with Stefano Pioli getting a response from his players, but equally as important, was for him to put them in a position to go out and win the game from a tactical perspective.
The Rossoneri have looked devoid of ideas and quality in recent weeks, and it has raised question marks about whether or not we’ve lost our way under the Milan boss, or if it’s just another temporary dip.
With ‘crisis’ starting to do the rounds in the Italian media, this was the ideal reaction to that, as we were excellent in exploiting PSG’s defensive vulnerabilities to create openings, while limiting their attacking quality with a strong defensive effort in a balanced performance.
Leao returns to form with key display
Similarly to Pioli, the response had to start with our talisman on the pitch too, with Rafael Leao undoubtedly falling short of the high standards he has set over the last couple of seasons.
As our creative spark and leading talent, we needed more from him to help drag us out of our poor form, and the Portuguese international delivered.
Not only through his goal, which was a wonderful finish, but his overall performance and desire on and off the ball was brilliant to see, and that is the level we need from him on a consistent basis again to set the example and standard.
Loftus-Cheek reinforces importance in this side
Although he was wasteful in front of goal at times, Ruben Loftus-Cheek re-emphasised his importance to this side with his display on Tuesday night.
With his physicality, athleticism, energy and as a driving force from midfield, he helped us impose ourselves in the game and set the tone for our performance.
It’s a huge boost to have him back from injury, and with Yunus Musah and Tijjani Reijnders impressing alongside him too, it’s hoped that we’ve started to find long-term solutions in midfield.
Vital result, but hopefully a turning point
As enjoyable and impressive as this result is, it’s crucial that it proves to be a catalyst to get our season back on track rather than just a good performance in isolation.
We’ve given ourselves a better chance of getting out of the group, but this result has to be followed up in the remaining two games to ensure it’s a turning point.
Similarly, with an away trip to Lecce on Saturday, we can’t let our level dip again, and so consistency is now the key word to ensure we head into the festive period full of confidence and with momentum on our side. It wasn’t a perfect display, but it’s what we’re capable of producing, and we have to do so week in and week out to compete for silverware.
