Allegri urges Milan to get over Napoli defeat
AC Milan surrendered second place in Serie A with defeat at Napoli last time out, and Massimiliano Allegri is demanding that his players bounce back.
The Rossoneri surrendered second place in Serie A after their 1-0 loss at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on Tuesday (AEST), with the Partenopei subsequently leapfrogging them in the table.
Nine points behind leader Inter Milan with seven games remaining, Allegri's main focus is now on securing Milan's return to the UEFA Champions League next season.
The head coach wants his squad to remain proactive ahead of their clash with Udinese on Sunday (AEST).
"In Naples, the team played a good game and had favourable situations that they did not exploit," he said.
"The result affects the judgement. We went there to win, but on that field, you can lose. A match cannot destabilise the work of a season, it cannot lead you to be overwhelmed by events.
"There is room for improvement: for example, in the last few matches, we have lost twice away. The moment must be faced with great serenity and lucidity.
"After you lose second place and move away from the top, it's normal to have a psychological backlash. During the week, the team then turned to the final goal, working every day to do more.
"There are seven games left and there are teams that are growing in terms of performance. It is important to play with a proactive attitude, the quality of our players is high, and I have full confidence in all of them."
Udinese, which is in 11th place, has won just one of its past four games in Serie A, but did hold high-flying Como to a goalless draw last time out.
"Tomorrow will be a difficult match against a physical team," Allegri added. "We have to stay focused."
