FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Serie A - AC Milan v Empoli - San Siro, Milan, Italy - March 10, 2024 AC Milan coach Stefano Pioli reacts REUTERS/Alessandro Garofalo/File Photo
(Reuters) - AC Milan must raise their level as the Europa League enters the quarter-finals with some European heavyweights awaiting the Serie A side, manager Stefano Pioli said after his team's 3-1 victory at 10-man Slavia Prague on Thursday.
First-half goals from Christian Pulisic, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Rafael Leao helped Milan ease past the Czech side with a 7-3 aggregate win in the last-16 tie.
The seven-time Champions League winners will find out their opponents for the quarter-finals in Friday's draw, with unbeaten Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen, Liverpool and Benfica among the contenders.
AS Roma, Atalanta, West Ham United, and Olympique de Marseille complete the strong field in the last eight.
"The level of opposition will go up now, although Rennes and Slavia Prague are decent teams even if they are not the biggest names," Pioli told reporters.
"Now the level will be higher so we have to raise the bar. There are many things we can improve on... less distractions and there are other situations to analyse in order to improve.
"Whoever we draw will be a top side but none of them are unbeatable."
(Reporting by Shifa Jahan in Bengaluru; Editing by Nick Macfie)
