AC Milan head coach Stefano Pioli used five moves to beat his opposite number Luciano Spalletti and record a 4-0 win at the Maradona, a report claims.
Read SempreMilan ad-free and get access to exclusive news. Click here for a free trial!
La Gazzetta dello Sport report that the first move was easy: to put Rafael Leao back on the left wing. His first goal came from a centre-forward run but the fact he started by drifting inside is unpredictable in itself, and the second was much more of a trademark goal.
The surprise move might have been Brahim Diaz on the right side with Ismael Bennacer as the playmaker and Rade Krunic in the pairing with Sandro Tonali. The Spaniard unlocked the match with a lovely assist for Leao, then scored a goal with one of his typical runs deep inside the box.
The third key was to keep Khvicha Kvaratskhelia quiet, and they double up on him at the right moments. Davide Calabria did well defending one on one but he also had help from Krunic, Tonali and Tomori too, making it a frustrating night for the Georgian.
Pioli revealed something interesting after the game regarding formation: “I chose to play with four at the back even before Udine.” The old system was set aside for a handful of games, but it restored confidence and stability as Tomori responded well to recent difficulties, Kjaer stopped Simeone, Theo played like Theo and Calabria looked sharp.
Finally, the impact off the bench of Alexis Saelemaekers must be highlighted. The Belgian came on to keep the balance but in the end he upset all predictions, scoring a goal after a slalom run before finishing between Meret’s legs, before another great run and shot a few minutes later.
