Pedulla: When Milan’s Sarri plan was altered by Kessie penalties – the background

Maurizio Sarri has been linked with the AC Milan job on various occasions, and Alfredo Pedullà has lifted the lid on one time in particular when things were moving in the right direction then fell apart.

This summer, Sarri was – albeit briefly – on the list of names of coaches linked to Milan as they sought to replace Stefano Pioli. The Italian had left Lazio and was in search of a new project, yet it never really felt like a good fit considering the stance of the Rossoneri’s management.

As Alfredo Pedullà explains on his YouTube channel (via Radio Rossonera), in the past the Tuscan coach has been very close to Milan. In particular, in 2021 – after the home draw against Cagliari on the penultimate matchday – the directors had already agreed everything with his agent.

The situation going into that Cagliari game was that Milan needed to win to secure qualification to the Champions League but instead they drew 0-0. Thus, they went to Atalanta needing to avoid defeat to get in, which they did with two penalties from Franck Kessie securing a 2-0 win and second spot.

Pedulla states: “That week his agent at the time was contacted by Milan and they told him: ‘If we don’t qualify in Bergamo we’ll meet on Monday at the headquarters and sign the contract so that Sarri becomes the new coach’. He was then contacted to inform him that it had been decided to continue with Pioli.”