The next 11 days will reveal a lot about how AC Milan’s season will be judged and what the future might hold for Stefano Pioli, according to a report.
As reported by La Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below) this morning, the next 11 days containes the first leg of the Europa League quarter-finals at San Siro against Roma , the away match against Sassuolo on Sunday, the return leg in Roma and finally the derby against Inter on 22 April.
You can then add the match against Juventus the following weekend and the mosaic is complete: in about twenty days the Rossoneri will have a strong indication regarding how their 2023-24 campaign will be judged.
Another turnaround
Speaking on stage at a Financial Times event in London at the end of February, Gerry Cardinale, sitting next to Zlatan Ibrahimovic, made it clear that he wasn’t happy with how things were going in that moment.
From that moment on, a mechanism was triggered that the Rossoneri fans have come to know very well over the last four and a half years: the resurgence of the team under Pioli.
On several occasions during his Milan tenure, in the moments of greatest difficulty, when he was called into question and even when names of possible replacements were put forward, the coach always found a way to react forcefully.
He has also done it in this recent period too: after a fluctuating first part of the season and a more convincing start to 2024, the month of March was perfect with all wins being racked up.
Milan have now obtained seven victories in a row, a streak that not only allowed the Rossoneri to almost secure second place and access the quarter-finals of the European competition, but also to reunite some of their top players or discover new ones.
Europe decisive
However, the feeling is that, in a season burdened by Inter’s incredible run, Pioli’s future could be decided by his path in Europe.
The continental tournament is the last trophy that the Diavolo can lift in the season and historically it is the only one the club have never put on their honours board.
Milan, in their current form, knows they can go toe to toe with anyone, even if Liverpool would potentially await in the final in Dublin.
For now the team and Pioli have to think about Roma: an unexpected shock in the Europa League quarter-finals, the derby and Juventus could put the coach back in question for next season.
