Rafael Leao scored twice and Tammy Abraham also struck for the Rossonero, though goals from Cagliari's Nadir Zortea and Gabriele Zappa (2) earned the hosts a point.
Afterwards, Nicola was left pleased with the performance and the result.
It was a special week. Did Cagliari reincarnate Gigi Riva's courageous spirit today?
"He would have been proud of this match. It was a very touching week from many points of view. The boys played a planned match, limiting Milan, but without giving up the game. We gained in personality."
Happiness for a match played like this?
"Today the match was exciting. Milan goes to every field to play and Cagliari accepted the comparison. It is clear that you can turn up your nose at the 3 goals conceded, but our humility helps us to have mental balance."
Why Sherri and not Scuffet?
"He did some things well, others less so. I need to have a top team mentally. I can't do the math on a specific number of players. Some have periods in which they can make the difference. Our team shows respect for each member of the team, and that's fundamental. Scuffet did well, but he had used up a lot of energy. Today's result? Well, the duel between Zappa and Leao made the difference. Today the boy showed that FACCI MANNA (cheek) that we are looking for."
A shame about Viola's deflection on Zappa's shot?
"He didn't notice his position, but that's the instinct. We still created seven goal opportunities, scored 5, 2 of which were disallowed, and for me that's important. Leao? A fantastic player, he manages to alternate both phases in an excellent way."
Was it a game played with a lot of offensive pressure?
"Yes, I tried to take Milan from close range, but paying attention to Milan's central players who have the opportunity to make long and precise passes. Then it's clear that we need to improve certain aspects: scoring three goals is good, but conceding three is less so."