Tare: 'Milan lacking right attitude, no point denying it'

Igli Tare, the Sporting Director of AC Milan, admitted that the team has been lacking the right attitude in recent weeks, stating, "there's no point denying it, the right attention has been lacking." This acknowledgment came in the wake of a disappointing 7 points accumulated in their last 8 matches, and amidst discussions of a potential training retreat before their upcoming match against Genoa.

Following a 3-2 defeat to Atalanta, fan frustration boiled over, with several supporters leaving the San Siro before the end of the match after Milan fell behind 3-0 within the first 51 minutes, thanks to goals from Ederson, Davide Zappacosta, and Giacomo Raspadori. Even though Strahinja Pavlovic and Christopher Nkunku managed to score for Milan, many fans had already exited, expressing their displeasure with the team's performance.

Tare shared his thoughts with DAZN Italia, saying, "The fans deserve a different team, but the only positive is that our destiny is still in our hands. We will try to take the good last half-hour and build on that, analyse everything that happened in the last six or seven weeks, and concentrate to achieve this important target." He highlighted the team's strong performance for most of the season, emphasizing their struggles in just the last month and a half.

Despite Tare and coach Massimiliano Allegri joining the club only a year ago, speculation about their job security has surfaced, with reports indicating that the club is looking for alternatives. However, Tare remarked, "Honestly, I have received no signals from the club. I am totally concentrated on my work, because if we achieve the target we set at the start of the season, then we’ll have done well." He insisted that maintaining the right mentality is crucial as they approach their final two games.

An unsettling atmosphere preceded the match as fans protested against CEO Giorgio Furlani, brandishing banners and chanting against not only him but also club owner Gerry Cardinale and the players. Tare noted, "The fans have the right to protest and express their beliefs. I see it as more of a psychological issue with the team... since we fell out of the race for first place, that took something out of us."

He emphasized the need for calm, stating, "The fundamental thing now is to keep cool heads, be able to accept criticism, but also react and achieve our target. That will give us a step forward towards the future."

Discussing the possibility of a training retreat, Tare acknowledged that it would be an unusual step for a club of AC Milan's stature, reflecting on the current challenges. "Now we might all go into a training retreat a few days before the game, so we can spend more time together and analyse the situation carefully," he said.