AC Milan began their preseason campaign yesterday under the roaring sun of Milanello, with the temperatures 30 degrees in the shade but still hundreds of fans present.
La Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below) have a segment titled ‘New Pioli, New Milan’ which touches on the raduno yesterday. Pioli is in his fifth consecutive season with the club, something not many coaches achieve.
In addition, this time he will be the protagonist in a broader sense. He will remain the head coach by title of course, but will have a greater say in club operations such as transfer business and is a point of continuity after a turbulent summer.
Milan are changing. It is not a revolution but an evolution, says the CEO Giorgio Furlani, with the plan being to have Pioli more involved in decision-making processes while leaving the big calls in the hands of Furlani and Geoffrey Moncada.
Furlani said: “The objectives of this season are the same as always, to be competitive in Italy and in Europe. Some spoke of year zero but this is the year 124 of Milan.”
Pioli also spoke of continuity: “I have always felt at the centre of the project, this has not changed. Only, now the interlocutors are Geoffrey and Giorgio, not Paolo Maldini and Ricky Massara, whom I want to thank, I have esteem and affection for them.”
Two observations immediately led us to understand what Milan are doing. The first was that Pioli did not deny the idea of recent misunderstandings with Maldini.
“There was no shortage of discussions, more so in the year of the Scudetto. On some situations we weren’t in the same direction,” he said.
The second was that this year he can build a team more in his image. It will be a more physical, European and technical Milan but above all intense. In midfield, Pioli is looking for players that are as different as possible, to have solutions to alternate.
On the right wing he calls for ‘speed and one-on-one ability’ as he said yesterday. He wants a centre-forward too, if possible different from Olivier Giroud but still capable of guaranteeing goals and impact against the big teams.
Last year Pioli used both a four-man and a three-man defence, whereas this year we could see the alternation between a 4-2-3-1 and a 4-3-3.
The Curva Sud presented itself with a banner: “Every department must be strengthened. Let’s close for every market target!” Pioli spoke of similar needs in his press conference: “I’d like to have 100% of the team before the American tour but it will be difficult for everyone. Of course I expect movements before July 21st.”
And then, he added a building metaphor: “I feel like the architect of a house with a solid structure but which needs to be refurbished in some areas. I think it’s time to make some changes.”
With Bologna, Torino, Roma and Inter in the first four rounds, the more settled the team is sooner the better the chance of keeping pace early on.
Reijnders, Chukwueze, Musah, Morata, Scamacca and Taremi are the key names, together with all the internationals who will be at Milanello in a week’s time. They are expected on the 19th, two days before the team’s departure for the United States.
The idea is that one, if not two new starters will leave for Los Angeles with the team. The Milan fans who arrived at Milanello yesterday saw Divock Origi score the first goal of preseason, while Luka Romero and Hugo Cuenca looked bright.
