AC Milan boss Stefano Pioli has shed light on how Yacine Adli’s adaptation is going plus the idea that two new additions could take up different positions.
Pioli spoke to reporters who gathered at Milanello for his pre-match press conference to discuss a number of different topics from tomorrow’s opponents Sampdoria to the woes his side have suffered in conceding goals and taking set pieces.
As part of that, he was questioned about the use of three players who he welcomed into the first team this summer, namely Yacine Adli and Tommaso Pobega – who returned from loans – and new signing Sergino Dest.
Adli has thus far made just a cameo in the league and seems to be behind both Charles De Ketelaere and Brahim Diaz in the pecking order, while Pobega and Dest could well get their first starts against Samp tomorrow.
Will Adli have more opportunities?
“It will be up to him to demonstrate. I expect a lot from him too,” he said (via MilanNews).
Could there be a change of formation with a three-man midfield?
“Not at this moment. I’ve never tried Adli as a mezzala.”
Can Dest also play on the left?
“We followed him last season as well. I found him more attentive on defence than I thought. In Salzburg he was very attentive. He has to do more with the ball, with the quality he can do so much going forward. He also likes to play on the left, but we also have other solutions. For the new players it is important to get to know his teammates better. Dest is a ready player.”
Can Pobega be used as an attacking midfielder?
“Everything is possible. You can look for new paths or new solutions. It is difficult for everything that we achieved last year to work again this year. We conceded a few more goals, but sometimes it is the quality of the opponents that it can make a difference. As for Leao: it is not that every time he was decisive there was a defensive error, but because of his quality. This year we have a more attacking midfielder.”
