Frustrated Pioli fends off title talk after Milan slip up at Salernitana

Stefano Pioli maintained that nobody expects Milan to win the Serie A title as he was left to rue a lack of quality in their 2-2 draw at Salernitana.

The Rossoneri spurned a chance to go four points clear of second-placed Inter, and they would have slumped to a shock defeat but for Ante Rebic’s 77th-minute equaliser.

It had all started so well for the leaders at Stadio Arechi, where Junior Messias put them in front just five minutes in on Saturday.

But Federico Bonazzoli levelled in the first half with an acrobatic volley after Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan flapped at a cross, and Milan Djuric gave the bottom side the lead with a header with 72 minutes played.

Substitute Rebic came to the rescue with his first goal since September, scoring from long range, but this will go down as two points dropped for Milan in the title race.

Rossoneri head coach Pioli does not believe his team are considered to be capable of dethroning Inter, but he expects them to perform far better than they managed in a game they really ought to have won.

It ends in a draw at the Arechi #SempreMilan #SalernitanaMilan @Acqua_Lete pic.twitter.com/rPINhEr5ar

— AC Milan (@acmilan) February 19, 2022

Pioli told DAZN: “The situation around Milan is strange. Nobody thinks we can win the Scudetto and then you ask me if we can still win the Scudetto.

“We are undoubtedly disappointed and for this reason we will try to do better from the next match. We had to produce a different performance. We were not lacking mentally, but quality was lacking.”

Inter have the chance to return to the summit when they face Sassuolo on Sunday, as they only trail their city rivals by two points.

Pioli says Milan must not dwell on a setback that halted their run of three consecutive wins.

He said: “We are disappointed. We had started well and there were all the conditions to manage our advantage better. We could have dominated the game better.

“We manage to equalise, but we have to try to do better. We had to be more lucid because then the right opportunity would have come.

“We have to think about playing as we are able to do, during the week we will analyse the goals scored. It is useless to think about what we could have done, we try to secure as many points as possible and do better the things we know how to do.”