AC Milan midfielder Riccardo Montolivo admits AS Roma and Juventus are a class above the rest of Serie A.

Montolivo says finishing in the Champions League places is their priority.

"Our objective is to return immediately within the top three positions," said the midfielder.

"It will take time to get back to the levels we were at a few years ago. This team is in a phase of construction.

"It won't be easy to make the first three spots because there are a lot of challengers, it will be up to us to give continuity to the results.

"That's the secret, that's all there is to it.

"Roma and Juventus proved that they were stronger than us over the last couple of years, but in the direct confrontations the difference was not so obvious.

"We came up short in terms of continuity. The games against Napoli and Roma gave us great self-awareness, in football you get your confidence out of results."