Former AC Milan boss Arrigo Sacchi has claimed that he is now convinced by the methods of head coach Stefano Pioli after the Rossoneri made the Champions League quarter-finals.
Sacchi was vocal in saying that he is not a fan of the tactical tweaks that Stefano Pioli has made and even sent him a warning during an interview towards the end of last month despite the fact the team were on a run of clean sheets.
While Milan have improved on the defensive end they are still dropping crucial points on the league that could mean a Champions League run can’t be replicated last season given a top four finish is not guaranteed.
Sacchi spoke to La Gazzetta dello Sport about the path of Milan, Inter and Napoli in the Champions League so far, with three Serie A sides in the final eight of the competition for the first time since the 2005-06 season.
“Spalletti is a master, a strategist. He has taken that leap forward for which he has been working for some time. In Naples, thanks also to the help of the club, he realised his ideas. And his Napoli is a team that plays as a protagonist, dominates the field,” he said
What do you say about the exploits of our coaches? Let’s start with Spalletti…
“A master, a strategist. He has taken that leap forward for which he has been working for some time. In Naples, thanks also to the help of the club, he realized his ideas. And his Napoli is a team that plays as a protagonist, dominates the field, excites the fans.
What do you think of Pioli and Milan?
“Pioli was a strategist last season, when he won a Scudetto that no one imagined possible. Then, after the triumph, he encountered some difficulties, also because the quality of the singles is not excellent. In the Champions League, however, he provided two excellent performances against Tottenham.”
Optimism for the future, then?
“Yes, because the Rossoneri are on the right path and because Pioli has been able to put a difficult situation back on its feet. Sure, sometimes the team should be more compact, but I think it will improve over time. In London they showed a strong personality.”
Inter also went through without conceding a goal against Porto…
“Yes, but they suffered. And not a little. How would the judgments on the Nerazzurri have been today if there hadn’t been Onana’s saves and the stops on the line? Inzaghi is a good coach who relies on tactics, and therefore on individuals. Inter have individual values that are clearly superior to those of Napoli and Milan, but the collective value makes them inferior. I think he can do more.”
