Stefano Pioli’s position as the head coach of AC Milan has been called into question this season more so than any other, perhaps aside from the 2019-20 campaign.
This morning’s edition of La Gazzetta dello Sport (via MilanNews) recalls that for the second consecutive season, Milan find themselves way behind in the Scudetto race in terms of points and out of the Coppa Italia.
However, Pioli is ready to try and achieve a double feat. The distance from Inter and Juventus is considerable, there is no point in hiding it, but at the same time the Rossoneri have amassed 13 points out of 15 in their last five league games.
The calendar reads as follows: Udinese away at the weekend, Bologna at home the following week and Frosinone away after that. In this period, Inter will have the challenges of the Supercoppa in Saudi Arabia as well as the massive game against the Bianconeri at the beginning of February.
It is an almost impossible mission for Pioli to overcome the nine-point gap to the Nerazzurri, but he has if anything made fans accustomed to completing challenges that seemed unattainable. If there were to be a sensational comeback in the league, then his job could be safe.
Given the performances and the fluctuating form of the Rossoneri, Pioli was placed in the dock by supporters. Most fans, above all, would like to move on from him but the owners will evaluate him at the end of the year, as always happens.
Many names of possible replacements have been circulating, with Antonio Conte and Thiago Motta leading the charge, but Pioli has closed himself off to the outside world and is hard at work at Milanello.
This has already happened once: back in July 2020 it was almost certain that Ralf Rangnick would be replacing Pioli who, instead, went on a great post-lockdown run and deserved his renewal.
