After the goalless draw against Borussia Dortmund in Germany, Stefano Pioli spoke to the microphones of Sky Sport Italia and said these words:
"We wanted to win, we knew about the difficulties and we encountered them. In the first half, we were not precise technically, but in the second half, we had many goal-scoring opportunities but we couldn't convert."
What was missing for you?
"We lacked precision in front of the goal. We had chances where it only took a little to unlock the game, but it's also true that they created difficulties for us. It was the classic Champions League match against a tough opponent, and we responded ball for ball. We must continue to look forward with confidence. We knew that the group stage would be so complicated, there was a surprising result (Newcastle beating PSG 4-1 in the St James Park stadium), but it doesn't mean there can't be one in our favor as well."
How are you experiencing this moment?
"We experience it with great concentration, knowing that we can't afford to make a mistake. It will be a difficult qualification, there are high-level teams, and comparing them to those in the other groups, ours is the highest in terms of quality and prestige of clubs. We're thinking about Genoa, then we'll prepare for the double confrontation with PSG."
Does Leao not make you angry when he plays the ball backward?
"I believe Rafa had an excellent game. There's always the expectation that he'll do exceptional things, but we can allow him a few mistakes, a few wrong choices. He was a thorn in their defense, he was very penetrating, often bypassing his man. Of course, not winning these two Champions League matches leaves us with regrets. We must improve those situations where in the Champions League, we're not yet as clinical and concrete in front of goal because the performance was there. We absolutely need to persist in trying to grow further."
(Photo by Bernd Thissen/picture alliance via Getty Images)
