AC Milan were far from their best on Saturday night against Fiorentina but they got the job done and that has raised morale within the team, a journalist has explained.
Milan host Borussia Dortmund at San Siro tomorrow night, a massive match in the Champions League groups which will have a huge say in who qualifies for the round of 16. Speaking from San Siro for Sky, Manuele Baiocchini the mood of the Milan environment towards tomorrow’s match against the German side.
“We are here in front of San Siro, which will dress up tomorrow. Despite the cold, despite the frost that is arriving in Milan, tomorrow there will be a full house because as we heard from the words of Pioli and Calabria, it will be a fundamental match for Milan,” he said (via Radio Rossonera).
“Against them will be the top of the group: Borussia gained 7 points, beat Newcastle both at home and away and drew with Milan in the first home match of the group. In order to try to qualify for the round of 16, Milan will therefore have to try to beat Dortmund.
“The victory against Fiorentina was fundamental, because Milan came from a truly complicated moment, of a lack of results and performances, but above all from two draws and two defeats from break to break.
“On Saturday the 3 points arrived on an evening in which psychologically the team was not brilliant, and the fact that they managed to win narrowly with Theo Hernandez’s penalty kick and risking to concede the equaliser from Fiorentina until the end clearly reassured the spirits in an environment that was quite nervous and regretful in the recent period.
“Tomorrow we will play with a slightly lighter heart than it might have been if the Rossoneri had not won the victory against Fiorentina.”
Pioli admitted in his pre-match press conference that he is aware of how much is riding on the game against Dortmund – including a potential €100m in revenues – and his side will need to improve again from the weekend win without a doubt.
They face a Dortmund side who have found themselves top of the group after back-to-back wins against Newcastle United without conceding a goal, and that puts them in the driving seat. You can read our match preview here.