Rade Krunic highlighted Milan’s dejection and frustration following the derby loss to Inter, suggesting that ‘something has changed mentally’.
The Rossoneri had been in a run of poor form heading into the Derby della Madonnina and started slipping down the top half of the table, putting the pressure on Stefano Pioli and his players as they lined up against their intercity rivals.
Unfortunately for Milan, they were thoroughly outplayed by Simone Inzaghi’s Inter, who looked the hungrier of the two sides and secured all three points thanks to a Lautaro Martinez header in the first half. The result leaves Pioli’s side outside the top four spots.
Speaking to Sky Sports Italia after the defeat to Inter, Krunic first discussed Milan’s difficult moment and how it’s affecting the players.
“Certainly, since I’ve been here and since the coach has been here, I think this is the most negative period we’ve experienced. We do our best, we try to do our best.
“Even today things didn’t go as we hoped, we work hard every day, we believe. In the dressing room we are a bit mentally down because of all these defeats. I think a win would change everything.”
He was asked if the Rossoneri’s issues were because of tactics or something else.
“I wouldn’t say it was tactical. We won the Scudetto with the same tactics as this year. Something has changed mentally. It’s not that I can understand what it is, but I can’t find the right explanation.”
Finally, Krunic discussed Milan’s 3-5-2 system and how they tried to use it against the Nerazzurri.
“We prepared it all week, from day one we changed everything and tried to do something different. The last few games we’ve done very badly, conceding a lot of goals and doing poorly defensively.
“We definitely prepared a more defensive game, we wanted to try to defend better in the first half and try with counter-attacks. It didn’t go as we planned and as we hoped.
“In the second half we created a little more and we were a little more careful in the defensive phase. If there is one positive thing it could be that.”