AC Milan to finish out of top four as Montella hails Crotone Champions League form
Despite the draw, Montella was of the opinion that the rossoneri have come close to achieving the targets that they had set for the Serie A season, with Europa League qualification well within sights now.
Milan had fallen behind very early in the game through a Marcello Trotta strike in the 8th minute of the game and were left to chase the game against a bottom four side. The first half was a struggle, but the rossoneri came up with a better showing the second half, as defender Gabi Paletta bundled in an equalizer five minutes into the second-half.
Montella’s men failed to grab a winner that could have kept them at pace with fifth-placed Atalanta, who managed to hold Juventus to a 2-2 draw at Bergamo on Saturday. The draw also meant that Milan failed to beat another bottom four side, after being at the end of an upset at the hands of Empoli last season and have now accumulated only three points from their last five outings in the league.
Despite that, Montella played qualms pertaining to his side’s recent form. He said: "This team has better quality in the final third than what it showed.
"But we need to work, be constructive and look to the next game. The team has showed it is hungry, believes in Europa League qualification and is a united group.”
He also talked about the fact that the side is on course for achieving the target that they had put up before the season began. Montella also hailed Crotone’s recent run as ‘Champions League form’. He said: "We are perfectly on course for our ambitions, Crotone are in Champions League form at the moment."
The former Fiorentina boss also told that despite the performance, his side has to be disappointed with the performance. "We suffered in the first quarter of an hour.”
"In the second part of the first half the team grew into the game.”
"We didn't create much because Crotone put a lot into it - they probably paid for that in the second half. In terms of the temperament and desire of the boys, I can't have any regrets, but we must be disappointed with the result.”
With four games left now, Milan face a critical period in their campaign and their next two games see them face Roma at San Siro and then travel to Stadio Atleti Azzurri d'Italia to take on Atalanta two weeks later.