Stefano Pioli’s mission in the second part of the season is to try and get Charles De Ketelaere firing as a difficult World Cup followed a tough first part of the campaign.
Today’s edition of La Gazzetta dello Sport (via PianetaMilan) speaks about De Ketelaere, who managed just 15 minutes on the field in three appearances in Qatar with Belgium, who were dumped out in the groups stages of the competition.
De Ketelaere is currently at home trying to reflect and recover after a disappointing tournament, and he will join the rest of the Milan squad on December 13 in Dubai for the warm weather training camp, therefore missing the first friendly against Arsenal.
He will stay there until the 20th with his team-mates, most likely taking part in the second test in the UAE against Liverpool (scheduled for the 16th). De Ketelaere’s goal is to get back in form and to win a starting spot from Brahim Diaz after a tough start to life at the club.
Pioli has already shown that he can overwrite his hierarchies based on form, and the Milan coach is convinced that De Ketelaere can be helped in his mission by the mid-season break. The hope is that some time off will help him mentally relax and then something will ‘click’ on his return, as it has with Sandro Tonali and Rafael Leao in the past.
Which qualities? He’s to slow, not fast enough and not technical enough to be a starter for us. Also his confidence is below par, he needs to be stronger mentally