Injuries and bad results have been a theme for AC Milan over the past couple of months, and the pressure is beginning to dial up on head coach Stefano Pioli.
Today’s edition of La Gazzetta dello Sport (via MilanNews) points out that last night didn’t go as everyone hoped, first and foremost Pioli who had high expectations for his team and instead in the end a defeat arrived which leaves Milan with very little hope of qualifying for the Champions League round of 16.
The Rossoneri are not yet mathematically out, but to get through to the round they need a victory in Newcastle and a hand from Borussia Dortmund who will have to beat PSG, but the Germans have already qualified and thus could rotate.
It was a very complicated evening for Pioli, because too many things didn’t go well aside from the result. For example, there was another worrying injury as Malick Thiaw went off due to a hamstring muscle problem.
The Milan coach admitted his concern after the game, stating: “I’m worried, the injuries are serious and many in the same department this complicates things also in view of the next games.”
Gerry Cardinale was also present at San Siro yesterday, as well as obviously CEO Giorgio Furlani and president Paolo Scaroni. Before the match both of the latter declared how important it would be for Milan to go to the round of 16 of the Champions League.
After the match, there was a discussion between Pioli and the club’s top management, as he confirmed: “Yes, we talked in the corridors, as we always do.” We don’t know what they said to each other, but the situation is starting to get serious and Pioli might just be at more risk than he ever has been.