AC Milan coach Stefano Pioli was delighted with their 3-2 win at Atalanta.

Milan jumped to a 3-0 lead, with Davide Calabria scoring 28 seconds in, then Sandro Tonali and Rafael Leao on target, before Atalanta struck with late goals from Duvan Zapata's penalty and Mario Pasalic.

“There's no point denying it, we played really well with intensity, energy and quality. It is a great end to a run of difficult games and the team is improving, in the Champions League as well as Serie A, so we need to continue like this," said Pioli.

“I think honestly there was a blatant foul on the second goal and I don't know how they didn't call that. Anyway, that's irrelevant.

“Atalanta have always caused us huge problems over the years and are doing well in the Champions League too, so being able to play them on level terms like this and win shows we've really made progress."

He added: “I too have improved, and that is also thanks to the squad, the club that supported me and the directors. When everyone works together on the same page, it feels easier.

“However, there's a long way to go and we must remain humble, because it will be a battle. At the same time, it's good to ride the wave of enthusiasm and I want my players to believe themselves superior to the rest. It's then up to them to prove it, one game at a time."