Simon Kjaer acknowledges Milan don’t know why they struggle so badly against teams like Spezia and explains what happened in the final confrontation with the ultras.
The Rossoneri now have a mountain to climb in order to qualify for the Champions League next season, as today’s 2-0 defeat at the Stadio Picco sees them fall further adrift of the top four.
After the final whistle, the entire squad including coach Stefano Pioli went over to the away end and listened as the ultras gave what looked like either a pep talk or a stern warning.
“They said this evening was insufficient, but there is a game on Tuesday where we need to just cancel today and prepare for another war,” Kjaer told DAZN and Sky Sport Italia.
The defender was asked if the players had wanted the meeting with their fans or if they had been essentially summoned by the ultras leaders.
“I am not sure who started that, to be honest. I saw it in a positive way, I have been surprised by how our fans have been close to us at all times, even when we played badly. I realise it might not be a good look, but they were right behind us.”
It is certainly not the first time that Milan have dropped points against the less prestigious opponents, as in recent weeks they were also held to a draw at home by Cremonese. Is it a matter of mentality or tactics?
“If I knew how to resolve this issue, we’d be in a different position this season. It is difficult to understand why we have struggled so much in this type of game and threw too many points away. It simply wasn’t enough and we need to improve this aspect of our performances.
“We are Milan, we ought to be more dominant in these matches and take the initiative. As for the goal, it was a corner and they scored, these are the incidents that can change a game.”
Did the Champions League semi-final with Inter weigh on Milan’s minds when going into the match with Spezia?
“In our line of work, we must be able to cancel the past match and focus entirely on the present. The mentality and preparation has to be the same, no matter what the fixture is.
“We now have to cancel this game and get back to work tomorrow with a fresh slate. There is no other option.”