Jashari unhappy after Bournemouth defeat: “We lacked the right mentality”

Ardon Jashari was not happy with the account AC Milan gave of themselves in last night’s defeat against AFC Bournemouth.

It was a night to forget for Milan on the south coast as they found themselves two goals down to two penalty kicked relatively early on in the game, the second of which saw Mike Maignan get a red card for a silly shove to the face of Tyler Adams.

Amine Adli would add a third from a free-kick in the final stages to give the Cherries one of the biggest results in their history, and it would compound Milan to their second defeat in three Europa League matches.

Jashari spoke in the mixed zone after the final whistle to give his thoughts on what was a difficult night for the team, with his comments relayed by MilanNews.

On the difficulties of the match…

“Now the game is over, we lost, and it’s a night to forget for everyone, but at the same time, we have to learn from this experience and understand what happened. We played against an English team, things were different than usual, and it was very complicated.”

What was missing?

“We lacked the right mentality to be on point from the first second and ready to fight. I don’t want to say we weren’t ready, but in the first duels they were stronger, and after the first penalty it was difficult because no one expected it.

“And after the 2-0 with the red card, we were in the 20th minute, so getting back into the game was difficult. Bournemouth were difficult to face, especially with one man down.”

It was a difficult match for you…

“Yes, it was a very tough match, decided by three goals from set pieces. The first two incidents were very unfortunate, especially the first, because we were all surprised, and I don’t think even the opponents expected that penalty.

“And then, immediately afterward, the situation quickly deteriorated with the red card. Obviously, being two goals down and a man down made everything incredibly complicated.

“But we need to analyze what we can improve from the first second in matches of this level, because I believe that in matches like this, fighting spirit counts even more than technical ability.”

Are there any positives to be gleaned from the second half, such as conceding only one goal in such difficult conditions?

“I think we need to take away some experience from nights like this, and especially tonight’s, and understand what such intense matches require. Everyone who took to the field saw firsthand how difficult it is. It’s true that the second half was decidedly better, but that’s not enough.

“It’s not just about fighting: you also need to be able to play your game and develop your ideas even when the circumstances are adverse. Tonight was clearly not our night, and with the numerical inferiority, things became insurmountable.”