AC Milan bounced back from its Champions League exit with a hard-fought 3-1 win at Empoli on Sunday.

Combined with Fiorentina’s 1-0 loss at Siena, the victory moved Milan within one point of fourth place - the position it now needs to qualify for next season’s Champions League.

Massimo Ambrosini broke a 1-1 deadlock with a header in the 86th minute and Kaka added another goal for Milan in the 89th.

Alexandre Pato had put Milan ahead in the 19th and Antonio Busce equalized for Empoli in the 23rd.

Milan struggled for long stretches, and Empoli nearly went ahead when Claudio Marchisio hit the post in the 56th.

Milan was eliminated from European play after a 2-0 loss to Arsenal on Tuesday.

“We’re still convalescing,” Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti said. “In the first half we did some good things, but we’re still not playing fluidly. Now we’ve got to work hard at rediscovering our top game, but today the important thing was the result.”