Leao insists spirits remain high despite Cagliari draw: 'Everyone is together'

AC Milan winger Rafael Leao has admitted that they ‘had to win’ against Cagliari last night, but wasted big chances to do so.

The Rossoneri were unable to take advantage of Juventus and Lazio also drawing, with the Supercoppa effect having worn off quickly as they dropped points to a team inside the bottom three.

Alvaro Morata had given Milan the lead in the 51st minute and that looked like being the decisive breakthrough after a first half of toil, but then Zortea equalised for the visiting side a few minutes later.

Tammy Abraham missed a couple of big chances to make himself the hero again after Monday’s final in Riyadh, and 1-1 it would stay. Leao spoke to Milan TV after the full-time whistle to try and analyse what was a frustrating night from a result point of view.

Rafa, how do you assess the game?

“We obviously had to win. In my opinion it wasn’t our best match, but we didn’t lack attitude and will. We lacked the goal, the ruthlessness. We created two/three big chances in front of the goal but we didn’t manage to score.

“Then they [scored] on the counterattack… they tried to hurt us like this throughout the match and in the end they scored. But we have to continue to fight, work, the team is doing well, they have the right mentality.

“The team spirit is very good, everyone is together, those who play as starters, those who start from the match, and so we can expect good things in the future.”