Rattled Rossoneri bid to rescue season

AC Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani said yesterday his team need to fight for their lives to qualify for next season’s Champions League.

Four places in Europe’s top club competition are open to Italian sides but Milan currently sit fifth in Serie A and four points behind fourth-placed Fiorentina.

They also failed in the defence of their European crown at the first knock-out hurdle, dismantled 2-0 on aggregate by Arsenal in the second round.

Galliani now realises there is a serious possibility of the six-time European champions missing out on the Champions League altogether next season.

“Last night I didn’t manage to sleep, as I imagine most of the Milan fans probably didn’t either,” Galliani said.

He was up early and at Milan’s training ground to try to rally the troops for the final push in this season’s Serie A.

Milan have 12 Serie A games to play to try to catch either Fiorentina or Juventus, who are five points ahead.

“I want to remind everyone that to make it to the Champions League final, we had to play 12 matches (actually 14 as they were involved in the last preliminary round) and that’s the same number of matches that remain in the championship.

“So now we have to try to recover a Champions League qualification place.

“Now we have 12 matches to play to the death, they will be like 12 finals and next season I hope to rediscover our true selves.

“Already, on Sunday, we have to take to the field with determination, with a lot of desire and a positive attitude.”

Milan travel to lowly Empoli on Sunday while Juventus visit Genoa and Fiorentina are at Siena.