Fikayo Tomori admits AC Milan suffered from stage fright

‘There was a bit of anxiety in the team’: Fikayo Tomori admits AC Milan suffered from stage fright during their 2-0 Champions League semi-final loss to Inter Milan… but insists the Rossoneri ‘can’t let our heads drop’

  • Edin Dzeko scored the opener for Inter and Henrikh Mkhitaryan put them two up
  • AC Milan had plenty of the ball but and Inter Milan will be confident of progress
  • Re-live the action from the San Siro as Inter draw first blood in Milan derby clash

Fikayo Tomori admitted AC Milan had suffered from stage fright after his team were left with a huge struggle to reach the Champions League Final following defeat by their city rivals.

Edin Dzeko scored the opener for Inter Milan and Henrikh Mkhitaryan – another Premier League old boy – put Inter two up in the 11th minute. 

Milan had plenty of the ball after that but rarely threatened and Inter will be confident of progress in next week’s second leg, when the majority of the fans will be behind them.

Milan looked hugely jittery during the opening exchanges and the former Chelsea defender said: ‘We are disappointed with the way we started the game, conceding two early goals like that. 

‘The first one from a corner and then the second straight afterwards. To go two goals down in the first 15 minutes is a kick in the teeth.

Fikayo Tomori admitted AC Milan suffered from stage fright during their 2-0 loss to Inter Milan

Edin Dzeko scored the opener for Inter Milan and Henrikh Mkhitaryan put Inter Milan two up

The Calgary-born defender admitted his disappointment at the result in front of the home support

‘It took us a while to get back in the game. There was a bit of anxiety in the team. In a game like this you can’t do that. It’s only the first leg. We can’t let our heads drop.

‘We’re disappointed because this was the home leg in front of our fans and we wanted to take a positive result going into the second leg. 

‘We know if we play with the right intensity then we can put them in a bit of bother. 

‘In the second half we were better and if we got the last pass or the last shot, a bit more determination, a bit more anger, then we could have scored. 

‘We can’t dwell on it, we have to move on to the next game.’ 

Dzeko will be eyeing a possible meeting with former club Manchester City, who he left to join Roma seven years ago before moving to Inter in 2021, after playing a huge role in Inter’s win.

‘If we play next week like we did today we are on a good route,’ said Dzeko. ‘It feels very good, especially because it’s a derby. On paper we played away so it’s a great result.

‘We are an experienced team and we know what we have done here. We have a great result for the second leg but nothing is yet finished because in the Champions League only great teams arrive in the semi-finals, so we have to be careful, we have to be concentrated.’

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