There was a time when opposition teams dreaded a trip to AC Milan and the impregnable fortess that was San Siro. But in recent years the Rossoneri seem to have lost their aura of invincibility, something which veteran goalkeeper Christian Abbiati finds hard to take. Speaking to the Milan Channel, he said the following: "Every team gives something extra when they face us, but the most frustrating thing is that teams now come to the San Siro convinced they can play for the win. Before, they came here to try and concede as few goals as possible. I don’t know how, but we must ensure it goes back to how it was."

Up next for the struggling Rossoneri is a trip to Bologna, where the Diavolo cannot afford to slip-up after being relegated to seventh last weekend: "We need the 3 points to stay in the hunt for sixth place. It was ours until last week. The next two games are vital as we bid to qualify for Europe via the league. It’s important we win the Italian Cup so we collect some silverware, but also gain direct access into the Europa League."

A win in the Italian Cup and European qualification could be key to Abbiati’s former team-mate and now coach Cristian Brocchi’s chances of being at the helm next season: "His ideas of the game are based around possession and attacking, we have started to see some of them, but time is not on his side. We all have to give 100% in matches."

While it has been another tough season for the San Siro outfit, Abbiati and AC Milan fans can take consolation from revelation Gigio Donnarumma: "I have a good relationship with him and the other young players. When Donnarumma plays well we’re all happy. He has incredible talent and enormous potential. He needs to be protected though and I am always happy to offer advice."