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AC Milan coach Pioli happy seeing off Fiorentina; pleased with Camarda debut

AC Milan coach Stefano Pioli was delighted with victory over Fiorentina.

Mike Maignan was outstanding as Mila won 1-0 thanks to Theo Hernandez's successful penalty.

Pioli said, “It is natural that our performance was not the sharpest, not the one with the most quality. We had a good first half, then mentally it couldn't be our best performance and yet we made progress there by suffering, holding out and bringing home the points.

“We had in our heads that we had always either been pegged back or lost in the second half during the previous matches. This victory must give us more confidence and faith going forward.

“Mentality makes the difference. The atmosphere in the stadium was not the same as usual either. I think we had the right approach to emerge from this difficult moment and prepare for the next match that will be decisive for our Champions League ambitions.

“I am sure that when we get results a bit more consistently, we can then get back to playing our beautiful style of football. There are moments where you have to do things this way.

“The win over PSG boosted our chances and a victory against Dortmund would make a huge difference. The lads know the kind of performance they need that night, so in a way it makes my work easier."

On the debut of 15 year-old Francesco Camarda, Pioli added: “Francesco is a good lad, he is working well and we also need his freshness. He is very young, but also very mature. We were all very happy for him. I could be his grandfather…"

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