The AC Milan management maintains their confidence in head coach Stefano Pioli during a challenging period for the team, as reported. According to the latest La Gazzetta dello Sport edition, Milan will continue with Pioli. The recent match against Paris emphasized that the club remains steadfast in their support for a coach who has dealt with yet another disruptive evening.
Milan’s trust in Pioli is grounded in sound reasoning. Playing against a significantly stronger and more financially endowed team like Paris, it is understandable to face the possibility of defeat. However, the focus now shifts to their upcoming match against Napoli on Sunday, where a strong response is expected.
After their recent therapy session, the team will start preparations today and tomorrow for the third part of the Juve-PSG-Napoli series, which carries the risk of ending with no points, no goals scored, and eroding faith from the fans.
On social media, some fans have expressed dissatisfaction with the team’s recent results, with calls for Pioli’s removal as head coach. This suggests a strained relationship, but a victory against Napoli could potentially change this perception.
In the match against PSG, Pioli once again opted for an attacking style with a high defensive line, accepting the risk of defending against numerous one-on-one situations. The team appeared stretched and disorganized, allowing PSG to take advantage.
Questions arise as to whether it was a wise decision to take such risks against fast and technically skilled players like Mbappé, Dembélé, and Kolo Muani. Pioli’s choice was rooted in his training approach since July, as many of the summer arrivals were not inclined toward a more defensive style, characterized by a low block and systematic doubling of players.
In hindsight, it’s evident that this approach didn’t work in Paris. Pioli is now tasked with finding a solution that is less extreme than last winter’s emergency 3-5-1-1 formation. Naturally, the players will also need to contribute, particularly the attackers who are struggling to score goals and Theo Hernandez, who appears lost without the guidance of Maldini and the presence of Brahim Diaz.
Concerns about locker room dynamics seem to have less prominence. However, there were discussions about the interactions between team captain Davide Calabria and Pioli on the night between Wednesday and Thursday. Calabria, in his post-match television comments, acknowledged that the team may have been unbalanced, suggesting a mix of psychological and tactical issues. He mentioned that the team might have been too open in certain situations.
“Tactically they were better placed on the field than us. We’ll fight for it, it’s difficult but those who don’t believe in it can stay at home, we believe in it.
“We have to go to work at Milanello, anyone who doesn’t want to work hard is better off staying at home.”
That particular sentence did not go down well with Pioli: “Davide was wrong, Nobody works at Milanello with little attention or little willingness.”
On Sunday evening, against Napoli, a response is critical, more for the environment than for the standings. Milan are second, one point behind Inter, and will have already played all of the challengers for the Champions League places, with the exception of Atalanta and Fiorentina, on Monday.
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