Ancelotti: Milan will be back (ClaudioVilla/Allsport)

Milan travel to Cyprus to face Hapoel in the quarter-final first leg tie on Thursday in a bid to end the season on a high.

'The team have been accused of lacking psychological strength following the defeat against Bologna,' Ancelotti told the official AC Milan website on Wednesday.

'But in the last few days they have worked extremely hard,' he added. 'It's absolutely untrue that there are problems in the dressing-room.'

Ancelotti's side face a Hapoel team who beat Parma in the last round but the coach is confident they can get a good result.

'Hapoel are a strong team that eliminated Parma away from home. That should serve as a stimulus for us and allow us to go onto the field determined and aware of their threat,' he said.

'If our fans don't come to support us, we must also use that as a stimulus and not as a punishment.'

Ancelotti was given a vote of confidence this week after a season that has seen the club slip out of the Championship race. They are currently sixth in Serie A and unlikely to reach the Champions League next season.

Milan's previous round tie against Dutch side Roda JC Kerkrade, which the Italian team won on penalties after losing the second leg 1-0, was watched by only 7,000 fans at their 80,000 capacity stadium.