AC Milan full-back Ignazio Abate has praised the side's team spirit following their 1-1 Champions League playoff draw against PSV Eindhoven.

Abate said that he did not expect to recover from his shoulder injury quite so quickly, and is delighted with how the players understand each other on the pitch since last year.

"I did not expect to come back so well, in fact not even to come back so quickly, but I've worked so hard to get back in the team," he told LegaSerieA.it.

"The coach gave me confidence and I tried to pay it off in the best of ways. Now against PSV we play the return leg at the San Siro.

"We are an amazing group, I know it is a cliche, but it is. We are very united and have a great understanding. Since last year the group has united a lot."

Abate has been at Milan since 2003.