AC Milan chief Maldini urges fans to stand by Pioli

AC Milan chief Paolo Maldini has urged fans to get behind the team and coach Stefano Pioli.

Before victory over Torino last night, Maldini acknowledged fans had been frustrated.

“Everyone is judged every three days with every match, that is the case for anyone in this world of football," he said. "Pioli changed system to bring back some of the solidity that has been lost, not from last year so much as from earlier this season.

“Up until January, our results were in line with last season and we also qualified for the Champions League Round of 16, so the only difference was Napoli having an extraordinary campaign.

“Our weeks in general have been varied, because the work was done well in training, we tried to get back to what we were doing before, but when it doesn't happen on the field, the mental aspect makes a difference, unfortunately.

“You must try to find a way into the minds of the players, that is something for the coach and for the club. We know it is a young squad in a demanding stadium like San Siro. I was part of perhaps one of the greatest teams of all time and we had worse periods than this. There's no hard and fast recipe to emerge from these things."