Stefano Pioli explains how Milan kept their heads and turned the game around against Inter with an Olivier Giroud brace. ‘There are only insurmountable obstacles for those who don’t believe.’
It was a game of two halves in the Derby della Madonnina, as Inter dominated the first 45 minutes and were only 1-0 up thanks to Mike Maignan heroics.
After the break, the game changed completely, Milan taking the initiative and turning it around with two goals in four minutes from Olivier Giroud.
This closes the gap at the top of the table to just one point, even if the Nerazzurri still have a game in hand.
Serie A | Inter 1-2 Milan: Giroud and Maignan seal dramatic derby comeback
“I laughed seeing my run, it’s not a good look! But my joy was too big, my lads have this incredible spirit to go beyond their limits,” Pioli told DAZN.
“We have the same points as at this stage last season, so we know there’s a lot more to be done. I told the players we must continue believing in ourselves and there are only insurmountable obstacles for people who don’t believe.
“We beat the best team in Serie A, the reigning champions and the leaders, so we proved ourselves. It’s true Inter played better in the first half, but my Milan have great courage and fear nobody. We took the game to a team that was superior in some areas and it’s not even our best period of form.
“Our only defeat of 2022 unfortunately was not entirely up to us, but the mental strength of my side is remarkable.”
Pioli explains how his changes helped shift the momentum of the Derby della Madonnina in the second half.
“Inter had also hurt us on the counter earlier this season and again today we gave them chances with our own errors and misplaced passes. Inter sat back more after the break, they let us take the initiative, we needed more fresh legs to shake things up and those were Messias and Brahim Diaz.”
Giroud is a proven match-winner who joined the Rossoneri after lifting the Champions league trophy with Chelsea.
“Signing Giroud and other players who know what it means to win and what you need to win, like Zlatan, Kjaer, Giroud, Maignan, raises the level of maturity, experience and knowledge. These are important lessons the younger players are learning every day.”
Pioli revealed he made a pledge before the match and will follow that superstition.
“It’s a bit banal, but I promised myself that if we won this game, I wouldn’t smoke my beloved Tuscan cigar for a month. It might do me good…”