Following the Coppa Italia defeat against Atalanta, AC Milan fans expressed their disappointment with the result and the season in general by booing after the final whistle.
This season has worsened month by month for Milan, and now the club are at a junction. Inter lead Serie A by nine points, and whilst there have been improvements in the league recently, the Rossoneri require a miracle to win the Scudetto.
In the Champions League, they stumbled when it mattered and fell short of qualification into the knock-out stages due to goal difference. Finally, in the Coppa Italia, the controversial exit only added anger to an already disappointing season, which perhaps caused the boos.
A positive season now relies on miracles, and Pioli’s job, especially after the loss, is again under fire, and the San Siro has spoken. If there was a mountain to climb before, then its gradient has just increased substantially.
Peppe Di Stefano spoke on Sky Sport, and his words were relayed by Radio Rossonera.
“It had never happened in the Pioli era that in the middle of the season Milan were out in two competitions out of three. There was always a trace of Milan in the Champions League round of 16, in the semi-finals of the Coppa Italia, or the race for first place. This is virtually a race that will not see Milan as a protagonist.
“Only the Europa League remains, then, a difficult haul to achieve and one that is unlikely to bring a smile back to the Milan fans, who are explicitly unhappy with the season of Pioli’s boys,” he said.
“Yesterday was a sad game that ended with whistles. The performance of the last period is not one for booing, yet clearly there is something wrong, the non-reaction to Atalanta’s 2-1 goal in particular. Surely there will be an analysis [of Pioli and the squad] in the coming weeks and months.”