After the disastrous display against Roma at Stadio Olimpico, Stefano Pioli spoke to the media and shared his thoughts on what went wrong. He also praised Roma for their performance, admitting that they were a lot better.
Roma took charge of the second leg early on and had a 2-0 lead rather quickly, thus extending their aggregate lead to 3-0. Milan then got some hope as Zeki Celik was sent off, but they only managed to score one goal despite being a man up for 60+ minutes.
Speaking to Sky Italia after the game, as cited by MilanNews, Pioli shared his thoughts on getting knocked out of the Europa League. He also reflected on what needed to be done better by the Rossoneri.
Milan never hit the quarter-final standard…
“Yes, very true. Roma showed more quality, more determination and deservedly went through.”
What was the problem? Tactical or mental?
“There’s a bit of everything in there. We lacked quality. We didn’t create clear goalscoring chances, although it’s equally true that we had situations inside the area where we could have scored a few more goals, taking advantage of our numerical superiority.
“We didn’t succeed because we didn’t have that quality and determination that was needed to try to overturn such a negative result after their 2-0 goal.”
An hour with one more man, still nothing…
“We had to be much more lucid, intense and faster in moving the ball around, not forcing plays and playing the entire second half close to their area. Then, when opportunities came our way, we didn’t have the quality to put them away.”
Why did you concede immediately?
“On the first goal, we failed to pick up Mancini’s run forward, then he made a great take-down and we had to be more careful. Then there was a great shot by Pellegrini. They had more quality and were more decisive in the decisive situations, it must be admitted: we were not as high a level as we thought and hoped we could be.”
Theo’s two matches…
“In my opinion, after defeats like this, it can’t just be the fault of a single player. I believe we can all do much better. We have to give credit to Roma who played very well, but we could have stood up to them and could have come out of these two legs with different results.
“We weren’t able to raise our level and we got punished as Roma are good, have quality, and are well placed on the pitch. We didn’t concede much, but when we conceded something, we suffered. And when you suffer a lot while conceding little, it means that you have to be even more careful and determined. If in these two games we had 40 shots, and then Gabbia is the only one who scores, it means that the quality is lacking.”
The derby, which is scheduled for Monday evening, is up next and one cannot even dare to think how it will look at San Siro. Milan’s confidence has hit rock-bottom and Pioli seemingly has no tactical ideas left, as we also covered in our player ratings.
Pioli pre-match pressers … ” we need clarity”
Pioli post-match pressers … “we lacked quality”
You are not fit to wear that jersey! You are not fit to play for it! Just leave Milan to the Milanisti! First the name and the coat of arms, then the millions to ‘play’ and do nothing. Vergonatevi!!
Sacking Pioli is not enough. He should be sent to prison.
You speak nonsense. Pioli will be fired but it was the fault of the players just as much as the coaches tactics , at the end of the day tactics don’t win matches alone you need heart, determination, technique and sacrifice and the players didn’t show this.
Your father is speaking nonsense. Is it not the same players under Mourinho that are playing their hearts out now?
We all think that Pioli ‘s time as coach is over and that he made many wrong choices but your comment was nonsense.
Their crucial first goal ,Mancini got to the rebound while our entire defence ball watched , you cannot blame Pioli for that . Roma wanted it more . The team no longer follows the coach then he should be sacked.
Don’t mention family members when you post either as that shows you are an infantile and insecure twat.
I agree with you partly but check the reply on the first goal and look the positions of the players – it’s clear they are confused where exactly they should play like Calabria is next to the Center backs while at the RB there was someone else. Players play like that when the instructions from the coach makes them confused. Every top manager has a clear formation he plays with and just tweaks it up a little bit. With our baboon we keep playing different formations with different players what do you expect to happen ?
Your father is the chief twat😂
Your father is the chief fat twat😂
Or may be they deserve a better manager who actually believe in young players and has balls.
It is the same Roma you played under Mourinho
Most of the time, it’s the coach who also responsible to transmit all those values. Pioli had it ‘easy’ while Maldini was still around and Ibra’s still in the locker room. And now we see the real face of Pioli. The face filled with hesitation we often see nowadays.
The one to Blame is GERRY CARDINALE letting those managers those players this coach to endors the Rossonero Colors
Fluidity is needed in the attack, in general. Poor ideas, lack of group execution, and not enough risk taking.
Pulisic played scared like he didn’t want to risk losing possession. That prevented the team from finding weaknesses. He needs to play more fearless like he does for USMNT. Leao was clumsy. Chuk at least was decent.
Pioli is on fire!!! Hurray!!!
Year zero loading! All I wanted to say, has been said by Arrigo in his last interview. Questions should be asked, the “gurus” in charge of the transfer window should be queried and when culpable – FIRED.
“If in these two games we had 40 shots, and then Gabbia is the only one who scores, it means that the quality is lacking.”
Mister is quoting statistics now? Has he not played football manager before? Lol. Possession without goals is rubbish. Goals win matches not useless stats! He never fails to amuse me. The presser was a torture for him. He fell short of admitting he is clueless on how to proceed. I pray we are not mauled as usual on Monday!!
you dont read to understand.. he was actually condemning the milan strikers and attackers indirectly
He’s not talking about possession, he’s talking about shots.
You seem to struggling with basic comprehension so question whether you should be criticising Pioli.
And you need zirkzee ?? Haha.. 60 shots and maignan will score…
Digging your own grave here, Stefano.
He will probably have more or less the same general statements after the loss to Inter.
There won’t be a whole lot of positives to draw from the season after that happens.
Agreed, time to let him go at season’s end. Cycle ran its course, thank you very much Stefano.
The positives IMO, assuming we keep to stay in the CL after the Procura findings
1- the new recruits can play
2- our key players are under contract for over a year
3- there is intent from the management to continue to reinforce the squad.
That investigation’s trumped up bs by Interisti – not going anywhere. I’m more worried about who management are going to replace Pioli with. I know most on here are going to say “who cares – replace him with a turnip” but I just hope we don’t slide into another revolving doors situation a la Giampaulo, Brocchi, Seedorf, Inzaghi etc.
The situation is a farce.
Did half the people down here even deserve if Milan had won the cup?
After all their moaning would they have then had the gall to celebrate?
Probably.
Unfortunately this toxicity is endemic which means we’ll get a knee jerk decision by the management sacking a coach who won more league points than when he won the Scudetto!
His replacement is anyone’s guess (and like you said nobody seems to care as long as it’s CHANGE).
The new manager at least has to play some variation of formation with a back four and wingers or else we’re off on another rebuilding phase.
It’s a huge gamble.
Swapping a manager who almost guarantees champions league football for [someone else].
I’d probably prefer to go with one of the up-and-comers (e.g. a Motta or De Zerbi) v the-past-its (a Conte or Sarri).
It’s all guesswork but as Mourinho and indeed Conte and Sarri have shown, once a manager loses their mojo….
He is so f**king stubborn. We could all see that he was going to pick the same front line of out of form players (RLC, Pulisic, Giroud). And that they would then underperform.
How he managed to not pick that midfield combo of Musah & Bennacer and leave out Rjienders though is what really astounds me.
It has become “Pioli is a bin fire!”
He started the front four that has scored lots of goals this season…
And then showed his flexibility by playing Musah.
If only he had been more stubborn and not played Bennacer and Musah!
“we were not as high a level as we thought and hoped we could be”
Wrong. We were exactly the level most of us knew we would be after the disastrous summer.
Milan lost this game in the first leg thanks to Lord Giroud. A real striker converts half chances and with the chances missed by our main striker Giroud in the first leg, there no way confidence wouldn’t drop. Milan needs a real goal poacher. Leaving Aldi on the bench again on the second leg says it all on what a coach we got.
Has he ever taken responsibility for a loss? I feel like he shifts blame or sugar coats it.
Pioli has done great job. He win possession and make team have 40 shot. Pioli unlucky can not use Tomori in first leg.
It is management fault for not much goal with 40 shot. He want SMS, management give RLC. He want Thuram, management give unwanted player Jovic.
Then the management didn’t do their job by extend Giroud contract a few month age. Last year “No Giroud No Party”. This season “With Giroud No Party”. He lose half chance in first leg.
DAMN YOU MANAGEMENT. You like to use sunglasses to look cool, but do your job DAMMIT
What a picture. A cut of an isolated figure.
I think the comprehensive defeat is the final nail on the coffin for Pioli’s Milan career. We obviously thank him for the work, but it’s seemingly more of a gamble to retain him than to replace him. He has given the full authority this season, alledgedly having more say in the transfers to have players to suit his needs, but what we got instead was a whimper finish of a season.
He has been weighed and found wanting.
So with 1 man up for 2 thirds of the game, their 2 best players subbed off (Lukaku and Dybala) and we have nothing to show for it? Totally gutted. Unforgivable…juxtapose Lukaku’s hold up play with Giroud’s…the organizational play by Roma when they went a man down, it just didn’t show…is a function of a quality team or a good coach? More questions fewer answers.
#pioliout
Milan won the scudetto DESPITE Pioli. It was all Maldini, Zlatan, Maignan, Leao, Tonali, Giroud, Tomori etc. Had nothing to do with Pioli and his (lack of) tactics.
When some of the keyplayers (Theo, Leao, Giroud, Pulisic) are having a bad day, Milan will struggle. Even against the relegation teams. And that’s because the lack of teamplay, attitude and tactics. And that falls on Pioli alone.
Look at the attitude of Roma players. Everyone did everything to win it. They wanted it badly. And Milan players? No one put themselves on the line. No one played well (or even decently). RLC, Giroud, Tomori, Theo, Calabria, Pulisic. All of them completely MIA.
One thing is certain. Pioli will never again win any trophies.
I agree with you. He is a second team coach . Pioli as a big issues with any coach that know is weakness will always defeat him home and away .
Na na… Na na na na… Hey,hey,hey… GOODBYE
Hit the road jack……
Tomorrow please make article pioli out please
Lack quality in the form of the manager
40 shots…my ar$e! How many of them weee a genuine attempt on goal? Is he counting the desperate ones from 45 yards that are still rising…statistics are so misleading.
I don’t fully blame Pioli because too ally players went missing, however, why Reijnders, Chukwueze and Okafor didn’t start I don’t know. Roma were set up to defend crosses all day long so ground was never going to work.
Bennacer shouldn’t have played, I rate him highly but he’s clearly not match sharp, in the same way Haaland isn’t and you can tell. Both have had lengthy time out, Bennacer needs some minutes and a full pre season, then he’ll be back,
Where the grey area is, is if it’s Pioli who can’t Inspire these players anymore. We are predictable, we are slow and we are so east to play against
Spot on. I don’t fully blame him either although he was definitely smoking something last night.
It is the same Roma you played under Mourinho