29/08/2002

ANCELOTTI'S POST-MATCH ANALYSIS

LIBEREC - Despite falling to a 2-1 defeat against Slovan, Milan are through to the group stage of the Champions League on away goals. An important achievement for the mood of the group, the club and the supporters. Leading 1-0 from the first leg at the San Siro, the only flaw is the result of this return match. In the post-match press conference Carlo Ancelotti starts speaking about Filippo Inzaghi. 'He's a great attacker and he has always been decisive in the important moments. We expected Pippo did well and he hasn't let us down.
About the football the team expressed, he comments: 'After a good first half in which we had been the dominant force, we suffered from Slovan counterattack after the restart. In football everything can happen, that's why on the dying minutes, when we were a goal under, we got worried. All considered, however, I think Milan deserved the qualification' .
Then he gives reasons for his choice to drop Rivaldo on the bench at the beginning of the match: 'He hasn't still trained enough, that's why I preferred fielding Rui Costa from the start'.
With the first goal achieved, Milan have now to focus on the new starting season. 'We want to give it our best shot in the Champions League. It was no easy task to go through, now we look ahead with confidence'.

[ACMilan.com]