Stefano Pioli’s Milan are undergoing a difficult patch in what has been an impressive season so far by the Rossoneri, propelling themselves to a decade-high league position in the race for the Scudetto.
The weekend’s disappointing 3-0 Derby di Milano loss at the hands of arch-rivals and league leaders Inter, pushed them further four points adrift in the second place.
Now, with the club’s main talisman Zlatan Ibrahimovic agreeing to spend his March midweek down at the Italian Riviera, singing and participating in the 80-year-old Sanremo music festival, and at the same time continuing his training in Liguria, former club legend Arrigo Sacchi has given his piece of mind while speaking to La Gazzetta dello Sport (via Strettoweb).
“If he goes to the festival, the others are also justified in going around Italy. Football at these levels is a serious matter. The club with its history and its rules comes before the team, as this comes before any single player.
“Leadership is shown with facts and the rules must apply to everyone. By now it’s too late to intervene, he should be the one to decline and make a gesture that would be enormous and appreciated by all the Milan fans. Otherwise I don’t think they would understand,” he said.
Speaking about the loss against Inter, Sacchi added: “Today’s Milan lacks the pressing, the organisation is lacking, that moving together reducing the spaces that allowed them to be in the lead for a long time. Milan began to feel too good and then the defeats came out. Not to mention Ibra in Sanremo.”
The Sanremo Music Festival is due to be held from March 2 to March 6, with several superstars in attendance, including Bologna boss Sinisa Mihaljovic who is in line to perform with none other than Ibra.
During that period Milan face Udinese on March 4 before taking on Hellas Verona on March 7, just a day after the conclusion of the festival.