AC Milan Legend Mauro Tassotti: “Rossoneri’s Decline Was Expected But They Would Still Be Top Were It Not For Inter’s Form”

Mauro Tassotti believes that former club AC Milan were not expected to be able to maintain their early season results, but would have remained top of the Serie A table were it not for Inter’s dominant form.

The Rossoneri led the league for much of the campaign and were unbeaten until Juventus beat them 3-1 in early January, but have since fallen six points behind an Inter team who thrashed them 3-0 in the Derby della Madonnina last month.

Tassotti, who currently works under former Milan striker Andriy Shevchenko as Ukraine assistant coach, praised Rossoneri coach Stefano Pioli and urged his side to continue challenging Inter for the Scudetto.

“There was a long sequence of injuries and a poor run was inevitable,” Tassotti claimed in an interview published in today’s newspaper edition of La Gazzetta dello Sport.

“Especially for those who dragged the team forward for so long and paid for their efforts, such as Hakan Calhanoglu or Theo Hernandez, who sometimes played below their level.

“We were used to such high standards and there is a decline. Then there is [Zlatan] Ibrahimovic, who has returned from so many injuries. We are talking about a man who weighs almost 100kg, it’s not easy to get back into top form immediately.

“I think Milan must regain some balance. Pioli’s team played better than anyone for a long time and when you are feeling well you succeed at everything, then a negative sequence leads to a knock-on effect.

“Without Inter’s special performance, Milan would have still been top though. They must not abandon the idea of the Scudetto though, because if Milan do it then so must the others. Not even Juventus can do it.

“Milan are a carefree team and with this attitude they have risen up the standings. They must continue to take it game by game, without looking back and only forward,” Tassotti concluded.

The 61-year-old played as a defender for the Rossoneri from 1980 to 1997, scoring 10 goals in 583 appearances before working for Milan as an assistant coach upon his retirement. Tassotti has been involved with Ukraine since 2014.