Legendary coach Arrigo Sacchi delves into the hot topic about the future of AC Milan manager Stefano Pioli in an interview with Sport, taking an objective look at his strengths and weaknesses in charge of the Rossoneri. After failing to follow in Napoli's footsteps last season, Pioli has been under pressure throughout the season, especially in recent times, and his retention seems to have been linked to the upcoming Europa League quarter-final against Roma.
With Roma currently 1-0 up over two legs, Milan will have to play a crucial game at the Stadio Olimpico if they are to progress to the semi-finals of the Europa League. The win will not only be a symbol of honour, but will also bring in crucial multi-million dollars in earnings for the summer transfer window.
Commenting on Pioli's position in Milan, Sacchi pointed out that although Pioli was once a typical tactical coach, he has gradually transformed into a strategist in recent years, committed to building his own tactical system and pursuing control of the game. And when judging Pioli, it would be unfair to rely on a single result. Sacchi emphasised that the success of the coach is largely tied to the club's recruitment market. It would be unreasonable to criticize Pioli for his record if he was not fully involved or agreed to bring in a line-up, and conversely, if Pioli was deeply involved in decision-making and ineffective, he should be held responsible.
Sacchi delves into the two-sided nature of Pioli's tactical approach: on the one hand, Milan's consistency in the game needs to be improved, the lack of support for the strikers and the loose organization of the midfield have led to too many distances between the lines, and on the other hand, Pioli has shown the ability to lead the team out of difficult times and has been excellent in his line-up this season.
Regarding the performance of individual players, Sacchi believes that the frontcourt players, including Rafael Leao, should be more involved in the overall coordination, while emphasizing the importance of team spirit. He believes that despite the individual characteristics of the players, young players such as Rafael Leao need to further explore their potential temperament, while the positional consistency and performance of some of the players in the Milan squad still need to be improved, especially compared to players like Olivier Giroud, who make up for their age with experience and temperament.
Summing up Pioli's position at Milan and his future prospects, Sacchi cautiously stated that given the current limited knowledge of the inner workings of the club, it is impossible to make a definitive judgment. However, he cautioned that in Italian and global football, high investment alone does not guarantee success, but requires an international vision and mentality, and the role of a coach is particularly crucial. He pointed out that tacticians can sometimes rely too heavily on buying big-name players to change the game, which can cause financial distress. In contrast, what the club really needs is a coach with a strategic mindset, and Pioli may only need to take one more small step forward to make that role happen.