AC Milan head coach Stefano Pioli has hit back at those who have criticised his choices to rotate recently in the league, insisting he knows what he is doing.
Pioli has come under fire in recent weeks for his decision to heavily rotate the starting line-ups that he has fielded in the league either before or after Champions League commitments, resulting in dropped points against Empoli, Salernitana, Bologna and Cremonese.
It is the attack that seems to suffer in particular, with the Rossoneri having won just one of the games out of seven which Rafael Leao did not start in, showing just how important he is to the team as a source of goals.
Pioli spoke to the reporters who were present in the media room at Milanello for his pre-Lazio press conference and he was asked about his decision to chop and change so much, with his comments relayed by MilanNews.
“I know what I’m doing and why I’m doing it, I know how to take responsibility. There isn’t a Milan 1 or Milan 2. The performance wasn’t lacking, but the final result,” he said.
“I make my own assessments and I was convinced they were the right choices.”
He was also asked about whether the hectic schedule has heavily impacted his ability to balance the various commitments.
“It’s not a matter of scheduling. Each season makes its own story. We need to be lucid and say that we set off to win the league again. Last year we made the leap when we left the Champions League,” he said.
“This year we’re doing very well in Champions League. After January there was no consistency to fight to win the Scudetto. Only City among the European leaders can still win the Champions League and the league, we’re not at those levels there.”
