AC Milan defender Strahinja Pavlovic acknowledged his team’s sluggish performance in their recent 1-0 defeat to Napoli, stating, “We played slowly and lacked effective positioning for a goal, which ultimately allowed them to score.”
The loss occurred on Monday night, pushing the Rossoneri down to third place in the Serie A standings, as Napoli climbed above them into second. This result further narrows the Serie A title contention primarily to Inter and Napoli, with Inter currently holding a significant seven-point lead over Napoli with just seven matches left in the season.
Pavlovic expressed disappointment, noting, “Our goal was to secure three points and close the gap on Inter, but unfortunately, the game didn’t unfold as we hoped.” He reiterated the team’s slow start, adding, “Right from the outset, our play was sluggish, and we failed to create sufficient scoring opportunities. We lacked precision in front of goal, which Napoli capitalized on.”
Having been consistently in the top two since Week 11, Milan now finds itself looking over its shoulder, primarily focused on securing a Champions League qualification spot. Despite dropping to third, Pavlovic affirmed the team’s resolve: “We may have lost second place, but we are still on track to achieve our season’s objectives. Our focus must remain internal; we shouldn’t concern ourselves with other teams’ performances. Instead, we need to concentrate on winning our next match and securing three points at home.”
While primarily a central defender, Pavlovic has increasingly been venturing forward, at times almost acting as an auxiliary striker. He further emphasized the need for greater offensive creativity: “We must generate more scoring chances. In recent games, despite scoring three against Torino, our overall chance creation has been limited. When opportunities arise, we need to react quicker and exhibit sharper focus.” Pavlovic even admitted to a personal lapse: “Today, I also had a moment where I hesitated between shooting and passing, missing the ideal window. This highlights the crucial need for enhanced concentration in such situations across the team.”
AC Milan will aim to bounce back when they host Udinese at San Siro on Saturday, April 11, with kick-off scheduled for 18:00 CET. Currently, the Rossoneri have secured three wins and two defeats in their last five league outings, maintaining a six-point cushion over fifth-placed Juventus in the race for European qualification.
