Sky Sport Italia takes a deep dive into AC Milan manager Stefano Pioli's tactical set-up for a crucial clash with Roma that not only ended their run in the quarter-finals of the Europa League, but also sparked much speculation about Pioli's future in charge. Although Pioli's contract with Milan does not expire until June 2025, he has not ruled out the possibility of leaving at the end of the season, and as the pressure mounts, his every decision is being magnified by the media and fans.
First, Manuel Baiocchini highlighted Pioli's first controversy in the formation – he moved Davide Calabria to the midfield area in an attempt to use his versatility to dominate the Stadio Olimpico and put Yunus Moussa at right-back. However, this tactical change did not work as expected, and Calabria's performance in the new position did not bring about a decisive change.
Secondly, Pioli's choice to keep two key players, Tijani Reynders and Samuel Chukwueze, out of more chances, is particularly remarkable. Baiochini believes that Reynders is an important pillar of the team's midfield, with top-level technical ability and game vision, while Chukwueze has been in good form in recent times and has frequently shown his ability to tear apart opposition defences with his individual ability. 'Chukwueze is clearly the player who can really trouble Roma over the two legs. Baiochini commented.
Finally, Stefano Pioli's decision to field all three centre-forwards in the second half was also questioned. Faced with the need to score at least three goals to send the game into extra-time, Pioli went all-out on the attack, but such a change of formation did not turn the tide of the game, but only a weak attack.
In the midst of this turmoil, many pundits and commentators have expressed sharp opinions, including harsh criticism of Pioli. For example, Michel Cristierlo, Italy's famous sporting director, has been unsparing in expressing his dissatisfaction with Pioli's coaching performance and the decisions made by Milan's management after AC Milan's defeat at the Stadio Olimpic.
Cristiano's scathing editorial seemed to herald the end of Pioli's managerial career at Milan. He believes that a series of recent poor results, especially the two-legged Europa League tie against Roma, can almost be seen as an elegy for the Pioli era. He pointed out bitterly in the commentary: "The next Milan derby may be the time to directly hand over the 20th Serie A title to the city rival Inter Milan, so that the whole story will come to an end." ”
Cristiano further emphasised that Milan were ashamed and weak in their 180 minutes against Roma and did not show the level of competitiveness and quality they should have. Before the Europa League kicked off, there were rumours that Pioli had been renewed, but now it seems that this possibility has disappeared, and no one believes that Pioli can continue to be in charge of the team.
While Scaloni and others continued to support Pioli on the pitch, Cristiano insisted that he had made the view months earlier that the Pioli era had come to an end, and that Milan's management had been grossly negligent in failing to detect the change in time. Since the Super Cup defeat at the start of 2023 and the derby defeat in the Champions League, Milan's overall competitive form has declined significantly, suggesting that the team's cyclical fatigue has been hard to return.
Therefore, Cristiano concluded: "Thanks to Stefano Pioli for his contribution to Milan, his passion and dedication cannot be overlooked, but now is indeed the time for him to say goodbye. Yesterday's defeat was the straw that crushed Pioli's managerial fortunes, but the real responsibility lies in the club's failure to recognise the fact that the team's cycle has been severely worn down after a series of major blows. Now, AC Milan must face the reality and quickly embark on a fresh rebuilding plan in order to make a comeback in the future. ”
In his outspoken social media X profile, Fabio Ravezzani pointed out that Pioli looked disorganized when it came to choosing a starting midfield combination. In this game, Reynders, Loftus-Cheek, Bennacer, Adley, Moussa and even Calabria, who had previously played as a full-back, were all deployed in midfield, and such frequent changes made the overall tactical organization look disorganized, lacking clarity and consistency.
What is even more puzzling is that when Milan had a numerical advantage and needed to break through the opposition defence in the latter part of the game, Pioli did not send the in-form, speed and technical advantage of Chukwueze on, but chose Jovic, resulting in an ineffective use of the space up front, a decision that was criticised as a serious tactical mistake. In fact, it is no accident that both Pioli's line-up and Milan's overall performance have been disappointing throughout the season, and many media and reporters have foreseen this.
The director of TeleLombardia TV is even more at the heart of the problem, arguing that it is now time to reflect on whether Paolo Maldini was right a year ago - to maintain or even improve the team's competitive position, AC Milan needs to invest and renew the team, and Pioli needs to make fundamental changes in the tactical system and personnel deployment. He singled out a so-called "mistake" in which Andrea Pirlo could have replaced Stefano Pioli (although Paolo Maldini had also misjudged the choice of Giampalo) that would reveal AC Milan's true intentions for the future.
AC Milan underwent a substantial overhaul last summer and now there is an urgent need to bring in quality players to consolidate and strengthen the squad. In the eyes of public opinion, Maldini's judgment at that time was undoubtedly correct. Given Stefano Pioli's recent managerial woes and poor results, there are growing calls for a new manager. It is hard to imagine that Pioli will continue to sit firmly in the Milan dugout in the coming days, and the post-Pioli era seems to have quietly begun.
During this delicate transition, the topic of replacements has naturally come into focus, with many names being buzzed by the media and fans, from the fan's dream candidate such as Antonio Conte, to the representatives of technical schools such as Julen Lopetegui and Fonseca, to the innovative young coach De Zerbi. However, in the process of finding a new coach, in addition to experience and professionalism, it is also necessary to find an important leader who can lead the team out of the doldrums and rebuild its glory. The bell for this change has been ringing, and it will be interesting to see how AC Milan will awaken and reborn in the post-Pioli era.