ITALIAN SERIE A:AC MILAN coach Leonardo acknowledged his team were beaten by the better side after they crashed to a 2-0 home defeat to Palermo yesterday.
The result ended a 10-match unbeaten run for the Rossoneri and leaves them five points behind Serie A leaders Inter Milan, who drew 1-1 at Atalanta.
“I have to congratulate Palermo,” said Leonardo. “They deserved the win.
“They play a little bit like us, with so many players in attack. It was an open game but the two goals conceded after the restart determined the result.”
Goals from Fabrizio Miccoli and Mark Bresciano in the second half silenced the home crowd as the Sicilians recorded their second win on the road this season.
Leonardo was not too disheartened with his side’s display. “I think my players played well,” he said. “Perhaps we lacked the same rhythm that we showed in our last three games. But we didn’t play badly, it’s just that we found a Palermo side that played better.”
The Rossoneri travel to Florence to face Fiorentina next while Inter host Lazio in the final game of the year.
Nicola Amoruso missed a penalty but redeemed himself with an 86th-minute winner as fourth-placed Parma came back to win 2-1 at home to Bologna and move two points behind third-placed Juventus, who lost 3-1 at Bari on Saturday.
Catania dropped to bottom in Sinisa Mihajlovic’s first game in charge after a 1-0 home defeat by Livorno and Siena’s 2-1 victory over Udinese, their second win in a row.
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