AC Milan manager Stefano Pioli expressed his satisfaction with the performance of his team in their 1-0 victory over Napoli in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals.[expander_maker id=”1″ ] The match saw Portuguese striker Rafael Leão play 90 minutes and produce an assist for Bennacer’s goal in the 40th minute.

Pioli praised his team’s overall performance, stating that they played like a team rather than relying on individual performances. He acknowledged Napoli’s strong start to the game but was pleased with how his own team responded and managed the game afterwards.

The manager also mentioned the missed opportunity to score during the last 15 minutes of the game, where Napoli had one player sent off and Milan had an extra man advantage.

Looking towards the second leg that will be played on Tuesday at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium in Naples, Pioli expects another great match and challenges for his team, despite having a narrow advantage from the first leg.

Pioli highlighted the performances of Giroud, who was involved in several chances, and Tomori at the back, who was defensively solid against Napoli’s attacking threat. He also explained his decision to substitute Bennacer and bring on a more attacking player, Diaz, to support Giroud.

AC Milan will go into the second leg with a strong mentality and high level of focus, aiming to make it to the semifinals of the Champions League. Their potential opponents in the next round are either Inter Milan or Benfica, and Pioli knows that there are no easy games at this level of competition.[/expander_maker]