Montolivo: “Milan believed until the end, we thank the fans”

MILAN’S PLAYERS understand the importance of the Siena win and thank the fans for their support this season.

The 2012/2013 Serie A season has come to an end and Milan achieved their seasonal objective: a place in next year’s Champions League, although they’d first need to get through the preliminary stages as they finished in the third spot.

Milan very nearly missed out on this Champions League spot and only made it thanks to a five-minute comeback against Siena on the last day of the season. There’s no more fitting way to end a season of turnarounds with such big comeback.

Highlights: Siena 1-2 Milan
Siena-Milan: Official line-ups

“The season was very difficult but we were all united and we’ve won the Champions League qualification spot,” Philippe Mexes said after the match. “We’ve proven that Milan deserved more than fourth place. The defence played well but so did everyone and this is a wonderful feeling. We are doing well in defense but if we’re here it thanks to the whole team.”

Mexes scored the winning goal against Siena in the 87th minute – the Champions League goal – thanks to a Riccardo Montolivo assist. “I am really tired and I don’t remember anything,” Montolivo, who’d just returned from injury, told the press on Sunday evening after the game. “We believed until the end and we kept going to the end and it is down to everyone. You could see how we celebrated at the end since it’s a very important result. We risked throwing everything we built away. We have some good young players but you cannot demand too much from them. I thank all the fans who got behind us.”

“I am delighted. We played with a lot of heart,” said M’Baye Niang. “I’m happy for the coach because he did a great job this season. Now we’re going on vacations but then we have to go back to Milan with the conviction that we can make it to the next round of the Champions League. Mexes is a great player, he scored an important goal and I’m happy for him.”

“We are very happy and I hope that the people in Milan are happy with what we’ve managed to do,” Kevin Constant, who was Max Allegri’s last substitution yesterday evening, said. “A year ago when I arrived there was a change of generations and it wasn’t easy to accept it straight away but we have to thank the fans who’ve helped us. Zapata for me was the most important player on Sunday as he never lost his 1v1’s, was strong and was able to show he’s one of the best defenders.”

“We were a bit scared on Sunday but the important thing is the qualification. I tried to do my best when I played,” said Mathieu Flamini. “We started the season badly but we ended up with the qualification. Mexes scored an important goal and we deserved to qualify. In the second half of the season I showed who I really am – I worked hard and was part of this team.”

Luca Antonini and Antonio Nocerino dedicated the Champions League qualification to Claudio Lippi, the Milan Channel broadcaster, who was killed in a road accident earlier this year but will not be forgotten by the Milan players of the club. “We really suffered against Siena,” Antonini said. “I thought of Claudio Lippi. The season started badly but we ended it well.”

“My first thoughts are for Claudio Lippi. I dedicate this to him,” Nocerino, who played 60 minutes against Siena, told the press at the end of the match. “This kind of games go beyond the technical abilities and the mind – it takes a lot of heart. We believed until the end and we enjoy this third place in a very serene way. We made a big comeback. The Champions League is in the DNA of this team. It’s a great achievement, but we know that we have to pass the preliminaries first.”

Some Milan players will now go on vacations while others will join their national team in training. This il Diavolo season is over and in the next the Rossoneri would be hoping to fight for the Scudetto rather than fighting for the third place.