AC Milan coach Stefano Pioli has praised Luka Romero after his display against Real Madrid and discussed what the new players can bring to the team.
Speaking after the pre-season friendly against Los Blancos in California (via La Gazzetta dello Sport), Pioli was full of positives despite the fact that the game ended 3-2 to the Spanish side.
Milan had been leading 2-0 at half time after a strong header from Fikayo Tomori and a wonderful strike from range by Romero, the 18-year-old attacker who just signed from Lazio on a free transfer.
On the performance of Romero, Pioli said: “He came in and did very well, and not only for the goal.”
Speaking more widely about the team and the new players such as Tijjani Reijnders, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Christian Pulisic, Pioli said: “I like this Milan a lot. Strong players have arrived: Pulisic, Loftus-Cheek, Reijnders, I like the way they are fitting in. They will allow us to play even more technical football, even more offensive football.
“After 10 days I’ve seen interesting things, for example how we tried to move the ball, the personality. What will change from last year? We occupy different positions but the principles of play are the same.”
There was a surprise inclusion in the starting eleven for the Rossoneri as Jan-Carlo Simic was placed in the back four alongside Tomori, despite being just 18 years of age.
On that inclusion, Pioli said: “He only knew this morning that he would play. He is working very well.”
The next player to join up with Milan will be Noah Okafor, on whom Pioli said: “He’s a striker who can play in several roles, he’s young but has already shown his value. He has shooting abilities, speed, one-on-one, for me he can be a forward or an outside left. However, I will only make a true judgement when I train him.”
Plenty of positive on the game, especially from new players.
The three goals conceded was pretty much preventable, but it’s still early, the players will come to speed later.
Worrying sign for CDK as he showed no improvement from last season…
And hopefully Messias injury not serious, so he can transfer to Torino/whatever team.
I hope they sell both Saelesmaekers and Messias and give Romero the chance to be backup to Chukwueze. Pulisic is best to the left as a deputy to Leao. Romero is young, left footed, got a great shot and technique. Hes the future on the left. Leao/Pulisic to the left, Chuckwueze/Romero to the right, Giroud/Okafor/Colombo central attacker is a great attacking formation for this season. More dept then we have had in 12 years
Just offload Origi, Rebic, Messias and Saelesmaekers. They have had their chance and didnt take it. Bring in a Musah, a decent left back and a young central defender to fill in for Gabbia.
Could not agree more. However they stil need to think of uefa registration list for the upcoming champions league season. More italians are needed.
We have a great squad of players to choose from ..
I thought Loftus cheek and pulisic did ok .
What a strike from Romero …I would like us to keep him ,rather than loan him out ,as I,m certain that he can score goals from range …We will have to see what pioli thinks ..Very impressed with both rafeol leao and Olivier Giroud when they came on .They will score lots of goals this season ..We will challenge for honours again this season …unfortunately we lost a match i which we should have won ,but unfortunately two errors cost us ,but never the less still very impressed .
So I will say this again Olivier Giroud will still be a main man for us this season .He look sharp and eager when he come on ,,and a good header ,that was saved and a fabulous free kick that had the keeper beaten ,but was only inches wide .
I wish some of you would start believing in the tea we have .We can win the scuddeto again this season ,and we should do well again in the champions leauge .
So great news …Keep cheering our team ..We could be celebrating at the end of the season ..We have a great team and a great manager in pioli ..
AC MILAN FOR ME
Salad could make do as a RWB 😆. Fr tho I’m not being sarcastic, his versatility could be useful. Hopefully we could still sign Dominguez. Aslo I’m disappointed to see Retegui joined Genoa, so he must have come cheap 🥲
Salad has so much potential. I hope he would just convert to RB. we would save lots of money and time. but yeah his body language when he is being forced to change positions are not positive. Now that all sorts of players have come to play on RW, he now gotto make a decision.
on the LB though, if we play Kalulu/Florenzi there, we gonna play is inverted wing back. less support for leao on left, mid will be bulking up. Last season i would say this as bad, but this year we play 3 MC instead of amc, so i think we do well there. man i hope kessie is still here. he would solve all the problem in the midfield that we have
I’m surprised that it was an actual 433 with totally different movements not the 4231 disguised as another formation like we did last year with the “3 at the back”