Allegri believes Cagliari draw was point won

By FOX Sports staff

Relegation-threatened Cagliari took a shock lead at the Stadio Is Arenas on the stroke of halftime through Victor Ibarbo, but new Milan signing Mario Balotelli equalised from the spot nine minutes from time to force the draw.

Although the result allowed Inter Milan to leapfrog the Rossoneri into fourth spot, Allegri was insistent that the draw against the Sardinians was a point gained rather than two dropped.

"It's a good point against a good Cagliari side," he said on the club's official website. "They defended well and we could have done better in certain moments of the second half.

"The team did well but we misplaced some passes. It was our first time at the Is Arena which was sold out for the game and I think that helped Cagliari."

But despite now being three points off third-placed Lazio, who currently occupy the final UEFA Champions League qualifying spot, Allegri believes there is still plenty for his side to play for.

"You need to have balance," he added. "We wouldn't have qualified for the Champions League by winning today [Sunday] either and the league has a long way left to go.

"There are 14 games left and now is the time that we need calm because when you're playing catch up, it's easy to drop concentration levels and physical lucidity."

One positive for the 45-year-old tactician to take from Sunday's game was the form of Balotelli, who has scored three goals in two games since joining Milan from Manchester City at the end of January.