AC Milan have started the season well and Stefano Pioli has been able to give some of the backups playing time as well. The reality, however, is that the Rossoneri will hardly have backups in the usual sense this term.
Due to the World Cup being played in the winter instead of the summer, the schedule is incredibly tight for the clubs. There are many mid-week clashes and this is obviously something that must be factored in.
As highlighted by Luca Serafini, in his latest piece for MilanNews, Pioli simply must rotate the XI regardless of previous results. Milan are playing every 72-95 hours and fielding the best XI for every game only raises the risk of injuries/fatigue.
Rotation is a peculiar topic in the world of football: when you win it’s considered smart, but when you lose it’s considered risky. Milan fans must ‘put down your guns’, as Serafini continues, given that Pioli doesn’t have much of a choice.
New/inexperienced players will be given the chance and if the likes of Tonali and De Ketelaere have taught is anything, it’s that this can be a positive thing.
