14 March 2021
A Cristiano Ronaldo hat-trick put this one to bed in half an hour.
The away side then kept Cagliari at arm’s length to see out the game. Here are the comments from the Bianconeri after the victory.
ANDREA PIRLO
“Our approach was spot on and it was important to get off on the right foot after being knocked out the other night. When we were 3-0 up, we lacked a bit of energy, from both a physical and mental standpoint, but the game was safe. We now need to set about our task, thinking only about ourselves and trying to win every game. Ronaldo was angry like the rest of the team, because our elimination brought sadness to the whole group. He reacted like a true champion with a hat-trick. Danilo? He's an intelligent player and he’s able to play his game wherever he is on the pitch. We tried him out in midfield and we were sure he could perform. [Dejan] Kulusevski? He has the quality to make an impact in our build-up play and I think he'll be able to play in the middle in future.”
GIORGIO CHIELLINI
“After the Champions League exit, we reacted on the pitch. It’s time to keep our heads down and stay united, showing that we want to perform and that we believe until the end. Today was an important step for us, because they are a very good team, but we deserved it and now we have to build consistency. If we are united, we can do great things, focusing solely on ourselves and taking one game at a time. That is the approach we need to do well between now and the end of the season. We now have a week to work and then the break to get some players back. We will make the most of this time to see how we can improve our performances.”
WOJCIECH SZCZESNY
“It’s been a tough week, but we had to respond on the pitch after the Champions League exit and we won against a team in good form. We know that to win the Scudetto, we need to win all our remaining games. Now we have some time to recover our energy levels and we’ll compete until the end. Today I saw a team who were united and wanted the result at all costs. Building a 3-0 lead after half an hour was a perfect start. We dropped off a bit at the end, but we put in a very good performance overall. The criticism didn't bother me – what bothered me was being knocked out of the Champions League, having not played well. Then, as I said, you have to respond on the field. Cristiano did exactly that, with a perfect hat-trick.”
