Nesta discusses Milan’s summer market, defensive errors plus Theo and Leao’s potential

By Oliver Fisher -

Former AC Milan defender Alessandro Nesta has given his thoughts on why the club are in the current crisis, pointing at the summer market and the ‘psychophysical’ condition of the squad.

Many hoped and thought that the Scudetto win last season could be the springboard towards a more ambitious chapter in Milan’s recent history, but it seems that the club has taken a backwards step since that point.

The Rossoneri now have virtually no chance to defending their title as the champions of Italy and they have missed out on two trophies in the Coppa Italia and the Supercoppa Italiana, while any hopes of going deep into the Champions League seem unfounded at present.

Milan are on a run of six games without a win and have conceded 18 goals in seven games in 2023. Nesta was a guest on Bobo TV with Vieri, Cassano, Adani and Ventola, and he spoke about Milan.

“What would I change at Milan? I would have done a different market. They had to reinforce the bench, they’re always the same and you can’t always go at 2,000 miles an hour for two years. Pioli has no players who enter and change the game,” he said (via Calciomercato.com).

“And then I would go all in on a centre-forward. Ibra and Giroud are their age now and at the 60th minute, after they also helped you in pressing, you have to take them off. We need someone who extends the team and scores. It’s time for the club to make an effort. After winning a Scudetto like this, you have to put in more money or at least clarify, saying we can’t spend and let’s go ahead with the boys.”

On the errors seen in the last few weeks: “I think the psychophysical condition is different compared to last year. They always play like this, they always go for the opponents high and go 1 vs 1. But in your half of the pitch you have to defend differently, they risk a lot and stretch too much.

“Also last year they were defending forwards but this year they don’t press so hard and therefore you’re in trouble. They stay halfway, in the middle of the ford and you pay for this. Now I think it’s due to tiredness and physical condition, but in the long run their football is not cheap, what they do in the long run you pay for it physically.”

On Theo Hernandez and Leao: “Theo and Leao are extraordinary players. I think the Frenchman is already ready for a big club, now he has perhaps played the worst game with Sassuolo but we have to weigh what he left behind in the World Cup. But I have no doubts that he can play for any club in the world.

“For Rafa I see it differently. He too, in terms of potential, can play anywhere but he is still missing a little something. He often doesn’t recognise the space, he’s strong with the ball at his feet but you can’t always take the ball and go. You also have to attack the space without the ball between your feet, make different movements otherwise the opponents understand you and stop you right away.”

Tags AC Milan Alessandro Nesta

12 Comments

    1. Milan is a club with a GREAT history, but only history, today we are a joke. Mediocre club, with mediocre owners, managers, coaches, staff, and players. (there are few exceptions) . And stop talking BS about the books, Berlusconi did not make Milan Great watching the books. But with love and passion, and is also BS that oil money is dirty, cos if they are dirty then all money is. Where is money there is always blood. So all that talking is from people that are hypocrites.

  1. “After winning a Scudetto like this, you have to put in more money or at least clarify, saying we can’t spend.”

    Truth and truth.

  2. “For Rafa I see it differently. He too, in terms of potential, can play anywhere but he is still missing a little something. He often doesn’t recognise the space, he’s strong with the ball at his feet but you can’t always take the ball and go. You also have to attack the space without the ball between your feet, make different movements otherwise the opponents understand you and stop you right away.”
    Thank you, Sandro Nesta.
    I’ve been saying this for a year, and Leao’s fan boys were getting upset. Now you got it from one of the greats.
    Great athlete, who is very predictable and doesn’t understand movement or spacing, basically he doesn’t know what to do when he doesn’t have the ball, and when he does have the ball he just wanna go on his own neglecting his teammates.

    1. 👍🏼 Same here,He need to improve cos I see him warming the bench is those rich clubs he is aiming for,he needs to improve but Pioli is not educating him on his movement and work rate.

      1. You can’t teach someone who doesn’t want to learn.
        Milan bought Leao to be a striker but he doesn’t want to do the dirty work of a striker that’s why he would rather be on the wing and trying to do his one move, step over kick the ball with his right foot and try to outrun the defender.
        Outside of his confidence and strength the man hasn’t improved his game or understanding of the game at all.
        Leao is among the tallest in our team and he absolutely poses zero threat in the air with headers, areal duels or on set pieces. Watch him on set pieces, he is either outside of the box or he just stand in the box like a statue.

        1. “Outside of his confidence and strength the man hasn’t improved his game or understanding of the game at all.”

          This year it has been only downhill for him. What has he done really? Not much to show for his 8-9M€/y requests.

  3. I know you all going to disagree with me! But ive been following nesta as a player even when he left milqn to montreal, and as a coach, god damn it!! I can tell you he is the type of a coach that can bring milan identity back! Im talking about capello and ancelotti milan!! Im 100% conviced he is the right one for the job! No hate on pioli! But i gambled before on maldini as a manager! Now im sure and i can gamble on nesta as a coach! These two can do miracles together! We had many ex-players offered the job! Seedorf, gattuso, brocchi but with nesta its different im pretty sure he will come when he feel he can stay for a long long time!

    1. I’m not questioning Nesta’s coaching skills but I think as a Milan fan we’ve seen enough of old Milan players coaching the team with “huge success”.

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