Key Takeaways
- AC Milan lost 2-0 to Sassuolo after conceding goals within minutes of both halves starting
- Fikayo Tomori was sent off after 24 minutes, forcing the Rossoneri to play with ten men
- Massimiliano Allegri remains confident that his team will secure a top-four finish and Champions League football
Massimiliano Allegri has called for patience from supporters after AC Milan suffered a 2-0 defeat away to Sassuolo in Serie A on Sunday.
The Rossoneri fell behind twice within moments of each half restarting. Domenico Berardi scored after just five minutes. Armand Lauriente added another two minutes after the break. This loss means Milan have secured only one victory from their last five league matches. They could end the weekend in fourth position.
“We started both halves poorly,” Allegri told DAZN. “We threw the game away. You cannot waste ten months of hard work. We must now focus on Atalanta.”
The Milan manager admitted his team made technical errors throughout the match. He described it as a bad day at the office. The squad will regroup on Tuesday to correct their mistakes.
Despite this poor run, Allegri remains certain his team will finish inside the top four. They have not yet guaranteed a Champions League place for next season.
“The Champions League is not at risk,” he stated. “I would love to confirm our place on the final day. I work with this team daily. This is a tough period. We must stay calm and take responsibility. We need to prepare perfectly for Atalanta.”
Allegri acknowledged that Fikayo Tomori’s red card in the 24th minute hurt their chances. The defender received two quick yellow cards. However, the coach refused to criticise his centre-back.
“The sending off affected the game,” Allegri said. “These things happen. The key is to bounce back quickly. We need two good results to reach the Champions League. That is our only focus.”
The Italian also explained why he replaced Christopher Nkunku with Zachary Athekame during the interval.
“I wanted to push forward and create balance,” he explained. “Unfortunately, we conceded straight after the change.”