AC Milan got knocked out by their city rivals Inter in the Supercoppa Italiana final, losing 3-0 in Saudi Arabia. Stefano Pioli will rightfully be questioned and he shared his thoughts with the media after full-time
The Rossoneri conceded two goals very early in the first half, both due to a defensive collapse, and then tried to get back into the game. However, instead of finding the back of the net, they conceded yet another goal in the second half.
Speaking to, as cited by MilanNews, Pioli shared his thoughts on what is a painful loss for Milan. He admitted that he didn’t expect the recent decline we have seen but also said they will do everything to recover.
On the game…
“We didn’t have a first half up to par for a match like this. We tried to get back with a good start to the second half, but then faded again.”
How do you explain these errors?
“We’re not used to making these mistakes, then if you make them against these opponents… We’re not having our best moment mentally. We have to do more and do better.”
How do you start again?
“The only way we know how: working better to raise our level. It’s a defeat that hurts us a lot, but the season is ongoing and we have to find ourselves.”
Did you have feelings of this mental decline?
“I didn’t expect it. I know my players and I always expect positive performances. At the moment we find it hard to react to a mistake, we find it hard to stay as a team and we only react individually. The latest results have had an impact.”
Theo isn’t helping you…
“I wouldn’t talk about attitude. There’s attention in these matches. It’s not fair to point the finger at individuals. We need to rediscover that mental lightness that allows us to play the football we know.”
Are you more concerned with defence or attack?
“There are many situations in which we need to improve. I know it’s a hard blow, but we’ll have the strength to react.”
How much do you miss Maignan?
“The opponents were very aggressive, we needed more precise movements off the ball. Mike has a slightly longer kick, but we needed to do better on other movements.”
Milan will now have several days to work on their game as their next encounter will take place on Tuesday next week. Lazio away from home awaits and that will certainly be a tough one for Pioli’s men.
Only 4 points away, from champions league elimination. They must find solution from this drop because it will be tough ..
Should milan change formation 3-5-2 to avoid calabria fullback errors ??
I believe 433 is the answer.
We have no no. 10 so why keep trying.
Also our midfield needs help, which in turn helps defence.
Calabria, vranckx, krunic and even kalulu could all be used in midfield holding position
Also please never play Origi again, id prefer a primavera player.
Given the useless bunch we have in the first team id be giving our youngsters a chance. Can’t be worse! Be brave!
Milan didnt need lot of the players that came in last summer. Key players have been lost over the last couple of seasons without adequate replacements. Sub-par deputies for key starters. Thats on Maldini & Massara.
Then there’s playing these players(who in all honesty are probably just above average as a team) in an uncomfortable, unsuited, unnecessarily complicated system they clearly cant comprehend. Because the Coach studied one playbook (Bayern Munich Tactics for Dummies vol.1) and thought that was enough.
I’ve said it and will say it again, if the Coach doesnt wake up and realise the kind of material at his disposal, and try to adapt quickly, and remains in his disillusioned state, even top 4 would be a miracle. Let me recommend the new edition of “4-3-3 for Starters” to Mr Pioli, might help.
Mr Poli, I had said before. The more you play Diaz, the worst your team gets. Stop playing this guy and put your faith in Cdk. Change your tactics where you give your youth some space to be creative. The double pivot can be rotated with Christmas tree formation.
Yess it is.. kalulu and tomori always give long or high ball to forward wheres only 170cm diaz standby. Wasted, never workout. I watch milan 4 match before, pioli never change formation or rotation with significant minute of play. Only for just cameo.
Milan should rest calabria and change some formation or tactical game. More variation. The way milan play last season i guess has been readed by another contenders…
“give your youth some space to be creative.”
The only player in the club with creativity is Adli and he doesn’t get to play.
“Put your faith in CDK”
??? The boy who touched the ball once yesterday and managed to be even worse than Diaz?
half fit Diaz as poor as he is, He’s a far better than CDK, CDK is not good, even when he makes a tackle, he get it wrong, a complete dummy
For the good milan perform, should milan get some champion like buffon and loan with option like kessie ? I think the problem milan is there no campion aura in the dressroom..
Clearly evident that the squad misses Maignan’s presence. He was a main reason we won the Scudetto, his remarkable saves gave some confidence to the team to be more offensively minded, play free. We need more one touch passes, we are too slow on the counter attack. Our best defense should be our offense, but it is not,playing on our back foot. Last year other teams feared us, no longer……regardless I live and die the Rossoneri….
Semper A.C
…
Yep. Maignan was the true MVP, not Leao – who btw was on the pitch for 90mins but had nothing to show for (again).
Pioli on Fire line..nice
I blame Maldini for very poor transfers window.
We never properly replaced Kessi we signed De Ketaleare other number 10 however we need proper right winger and center back
We basically don’t have right & left defense;
We basically don’t have structured attacks;
Players are so stretched that I cannot even see most of the team at the same time on the TV.
That’s not the fault of the players, that’s on the coach. Pioli should go.
Finally someone who understands. The problem is not Calabria or Theo. It is the system. Pioli has them so far up the field that teams are figuring us out and Tomori and Kalulu are so damn aggressive is they’re not playing on their A game all the time then they will get burned. These hyper aggressive defensive tactics are childish and Pioli has no clue what else to do. It’s sad.
I’d like to add that our central defense is also lacking.
Thats cos he studied one play style and thought it was enough for his redemption as a coach. And even now he tries to add certain unnecessary aspects to his tactics that just make players suffer. I kinda feel he’s reached his heights already, i hope i’m wrong.
the directors must take a huge chunk of the blame (no disrespect but comeon Tatarusanu and Mirante are the backup GKs) , But i cant help but feel another coach might do better with this same squad, bar a few players though.
Management must quickly wakeup and smell the crisis brewing.
We need a better number 7. Messias was full dust yesterday
“Messias was full dust yesterday”
Who wasn’t? We’d need better CBs. We’d need better midfielders. We’d need new wingers and a proper trequartista. We need a someone to cover for MM16 while he’s away. Lots of needs and zero money.
Or zero will to invest.
I don’t think the problem is with the players or even maldini, but the only reasonable and logical answer to this is:
1. Piol’s one play style is outdated and its known to all our opponents by now
2. The coach does not dare to make changes to the first problem. (1.) and also he is very bad at getting new players into the team quickly
3. currently our biggest problem in my opinion is our coach has reached his tactical capacity, our players have grown from the development stage and they have become big class players and as proof, you have probably noticed when the big clubs are after our players (liverpool, real madrid, chelsea, psg, man city, barcelona etc.).
conclusion: we have good players from whom we can get world-class stars, if only we behave like a big club and get a big-class coach like Tuchel, Zidane, L. Enrique, Pochetino, J. Löw jne.
Forza Milan 🖤❤🖤❤🖤❤🖤❤🖤
Big-class coaches won’t come to clubs with talents only. They want to work with players who are ready already and not “raw” like CDK, Saelemaekers, Kalulu etc.
Unless you pay the manager 12M€/y but Milan can’t afford to pay even players that much so that’s it then.
please remove CDK from the list of raw talent, CDK is “no talent”
Thats why I said Milan management need to behave like big club. The project Elliott is done. We are and we are CL club now.
It is time to pay for quality than to roll in the mud and wait for success. Even if its 12M / y
My point is Milan must move to the next charter from Elliott’s recovery phase and the first step is specifically to raise the level of the coach.
We have good player material and over time it will be modified according to the coach’s needs, but this shitty bullshit has to stop.
a pity the coach did not smell the beans..everyone but him saw the decline. is he head so far up his bum, that he couldn’t see this coming. no plan B. for God’s sake, play Adli. if the players you trust are playing b.s, then play the outsiders as starters. your #10 is a small bundle and you put him between giants to pull strings? come on, that’s suicide. Pioli has reached the end of his rope.
Maldini and co seem to have backed the wrong horse. Origi, mirante, Diaz, CDK are not paying off. they should listen to Moncanda more, although i have to accept their hands may be forced with respect to finances. a 5th place finish is not acceptable at all, and its a miracle we are still 2nd.
“if the players you trust are playing b.s, then play the outsiders as starters.”
Hard to disagree here. It should be the basis of any team really. The ones who DESERVE to play, play. Not those who have always played – or played well once upon a time but not anymore.