A derby always manages to get people talking, even if the match between AC Milan and Inter is a month away, and Stefano Pioli’s future heavily depends on the outcome.
As Tuttosport (via MilanNews) write this morning, Milan will likely play the game against Inter looking to consolidate second place but above all for honour, after the five derbies lost in 2023 and with the possibility that their rivals could become champions precisely with a win in the derby.
Added to all this and in all this is the fate of Pioli. As mentioned, the Rossoneri can do almost nothing with a view to the Scudetto, so the only objective would be to postpone the celebration of Inzaghi’s men for as long as possible.
Yet the result of the match against Inter – especially if it really came with the possibility for the Nerazzurri to mathematically win the title – could have a huge impact on Pioli’s future. Almost as much as the Europa League.
In 2023, Milan’s performance against their cousins was disheartening: five defeats out of five, including a Supercoppa final and the Champions League semi-finals. The fans are disappointed and are asking for a response also as a push to lead a challenge next season.
Precisely because of these defeats, Pioli has lost a lot of trust from the Rossoneri supporters in recent months. Therefore a victory with Inter could bring new life, also from a Europa League perspective, which remains the main objective.
The Europa League is already influencing the derby, because in the last few hours there has been a lot of talk about the calendar and date of the game against Inter. More specifically, Milan have asked the Lega Serie A for the match to be played on Monday 22 April.
The request is absolutely legitimate for the Rossoneri, as well as very sensible. The previous Thursday – April 18th – Pioli’s men will be playing at the Olimpico against Roma for the second leg of the Europa League quarter-final.
Considering that the game will be played at 21:00 CET and that there is also the possibility of it going to extra-time and penalties, the Rossoneri would return to Milan late with only Friday and Saturday morning to prepare for the derby against Inter.
So Milan have made its request and today the date should be made official: it could be the first Derby della Madonnina in history to be played on a Monday.
SACK PIOLI!
If he puts Ok4 instead of Giroud and Chukuwedze instead of Puli, I’d be hopeful for a victory against them and congratulate Pioli.
Well we know who the fans around here will be supporting….
The run has to end at some stage but I’ve got it straight in my head anyway because at least two of Inter’s titles don’t count.
Seriously Juve finished 15 points above Inter in 05/06 on the pitch. There’s no way on earth Inter can include that.
This IS sport. It’s about winning on the pitch. Nowhere else.
If I was an Inter fan I just couldn’t accept it. As a Milan fan I have always credited Juve with 38. That’s the target that Milan need to hit if we can ever return to the top.
I don’t care about Inter. Genuinely. I’d like to beat them but it’s Juve who set the standard. Not these scum bags.
They broke Italian football. BROKE. They’re an utter disgrace.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic:
“Juventus have won 38 Scudetti, not 36. We fought every day and in all the matches and we did everything on the pitch. Whoever was in that team knows what they did. We did our job on the pitch and we proved that we are the strongest in Italy and we won. I always say we won 38.”
“I’ve got it straight in my head anyway because at least two of Inter’s titles don’t count.”
We know that the 05/06 doesn’t/shouldn’t count for inter but what is the other title you’re refering to ?
The following season (06/07) after they’d relegated Juve, stole their players (3 of them!) and handicapped Milan.
You could arguably rule out the season after that as well given the damage they caused.
They should have left both season with no winner.
Be careful, lots of interista in here posing as Milanistas.
Like Gattuso once said…Juve won that on the pitch, that’s their trophy.
Or if there was an issue….like Yelnats said.. then in fairness don’t award the trophy for that year as was done in previous precedents.
Win the derby, prove that you are flexible tactically.
The only reason why Pioli should retain his position in the summer are as follows:
1. A proper showing in the Derby with a possible win.
2. Maintain 2nd place on the league table
3. A deep and honourable showing in the Europa league
These are the barest minimum
Why is 1 relevant?
Do you get a trophy for 1?
Do you decide the entire future of the club on a couple of games a season?
Imagine if every manager who lost to inter this season was fired!
If he can’t do number 1 again, it will be hard to win titles. Remember we do not lose against them when we won scudetto, had they won one of those matches, they got the scudetto. We also need to be able to beat them if we want Coppa Italia and Suppercoppa.
You win titles by beating the teams that you should beat.
That was the secret to all of the great sides.
That’s how Ferguson won so many titles, it’s how Juve did so many back to backs.
This season Milan dropped 10 points to Udinese, Lecce, Salernitana and Monza. Those 10 points would’ve put us within 4 points of Inter.
Udinese. Lecce. Salernitana. Monza.
I am far more annoyed about dropping points to Udinese, Lecce, Salernitana and Monza than Inter or Napoli (ok the second half was annoying) or Atalanta or Juve.
Those games can either way.
We should’ve beaten Udinese, Lecce, Salernitana and Monza.
Yeah within 4 points and then derby comes and they are 7 points ahead. If we always lose the derby they will win seria A 9 times out 10.
For you it is just 3 point . But for fans in italy it is more than point. You dont know the history between two club. In italy AC Milan fans dont like IM more than juve or other club italian club. Thats why after that defeat in derby , pioli lost trust from ACM fans in italy. It is more about honour not point in serie A
“This season Milan dropped 10 points to Udinese, Lecce, Salernitana and Monza. Those 10 points would’ve put us within 4 points of Inter.”
Lose to them again and you’re 7 points behind them. Beating them would have put us within 1 point and might actually win this scudetto.
Doesn’t annoy you that we missed chances in the 20/21 and 21/22 coppa italia, lost the 2023 Supercoppa and didn’t reach the UCL final BECAUSE we can’t beat inter to save our lives ?
If you want to win titles you can’t allow a team to be pretty much your boogeyman, especially when you’re gonna always end up facing them.
You’re on a roll today. Fired Up?
1 match against inter in the league is 6 points game, 2 match means 12 points game. It is useless if we winning against weak opponent yet lose twice in a Serie A season against inter, they would be above us. We have to be able to win against them, Pioli have to prove it.
“This season Milan dropped 10 points to Udinese, Lecce, Salernitana and Monza. Those 10 points would’ve put us within 4 points of Inter.” And then a win against Inter would put us 1 point behind them. So yeah, whatever, let’s lose to Inter 5-0 every time, who cares.
But even if we really didn’t care, the “We should’ve beaten Udinese, Lecce, Salernitana and Monza.” is still a Pioli problem. There is a list of these kinds of losses every season. Either way, if we had beaten all of those small teams this season it wouldn’t have made a difference, would it, since Inter is 24-4-1, and unless we’d have beaten Inter as well, we’d still be behind them. But beating Inter is completely meaningless, right? Either way, moot point, since we did drop points to all of those small sides.
Anyway, Maldini’s Heir, rejoice, as I think your hero has an excellent chance of returning next season, even if we ultimately finish 3rd, as long as we make it to the EL semis, which we have a very good chance of doing.
I would put it like this:
1- a convincing and solid end to the scudetto journey.
2- winning the EL or a least a good showing in the FINAL
I’m sick of moving the goalpost each time, Pioli should have been sacked because he didn’t make it to the knockout stages in the UCL, but somehow we always find a way to accomodate him and create goals easier to reach.
Well said
Agree totally, but it still boils down to scoring and preventing goals. In reality we are in second place for lots of reasons, however I see three clearly…we have lost games to sub standard teams that we are head and shoulders better than. Injuries which prevent us from consistently putting the same starting 11 on the pitch, and the fact that Inter is on fire. Pioli is far from perfect but we have bigger problems than him.
Bye bye Pioli…
If Pioli loses against Inter then he should be replaced. I’ve watched Motta Bologna play Inter 3 times this season and they have collected 1 win, 1 draw and 1 loss but in all 3 games Motta tactics were superior even though Inter has better players.
So there’s no reason why Pioli should be getting annihilated by Inter when have better players than Bologna.
If we lose to Inter and they win the scudetto it will be humiliating and embarrassing because we are the home team.
If that happens Milan should sign Motta to replace Pioli.
So if Pioli beats Inter, you keep him nest season? LOL!!!
No. I did not say that. But if he beats Inter and win the Europa League then he will no doubt stay at Milan because management will not fire him after winning a trophy Milan has never won before.
Yeah and then next season we’ll be going through this same elimination from the CL group stage and out of the title race in January nonsense again but we’ll then win the copa Italia which will force us to keep hold of Pioli again and before we realize anything Inter have won 7 straight scudetti
LOL. That’s a fact right there
Exactly right. Not only that, but we’ll also be behind Juventus, who will be playing proper ball after having appointed Tiago Motta instead of us. And they will get Zirkzee too, after selling Vlahobitch to the PL.
It has been a while I posted here but I think it is time to go for Mr. Pioli.
When Mr. Pioli was initially appointed by Maldini and cohorts I was one of the few supporters that actually backed and supported his appointment without having issues with him being former Inter Milan Head coach.
And with everything being at the finish line I think it’s high time that AC Milan replaced Mr. Pioli with Thiago Motta as the writing is on the wall and I believe he is the best candidate to replace our rigid old raggedy arse Manager and not Conte if I may say.
I have decidedly watched Thiago Motta system during matches and I can’t but admire his philosophy which doesn’t depend on the individual talents in the team but the appreciation of team work and the usage of the ball in a functional way.
I love the fact that Thiago Motta seems to be able to improve and bring out the best in his youthful team, making them to believe they can reach any height if their spirits and souls are combined and driven for a single purpose, something Mr. Pioli is lacking without a doubt and Mr. Conte can’t achieve without buying of supposedly ready made players.
I believe if AC Milan replaced Mr Pioli with Mr Motta there’s no gamble about this because the latter is tested and can trust to catapult AC Milan to the next level because has always been at the top.
Ibrahimovic give him the rein.
PS- You know sometimes I really wish Bologna lose their matches so that the team doesn’t make top 4 as it will be easier to poach him to AC Milan.
It has been a while I posted here but I think it is time to go for Mr. Pioli.
When Mr. Pioli was initially appointed by Maldini and cohorts I was one of the few supporters that actually backed and supported his appointment without having issues with him being former Inter Milan Head coach.
And with everything being at the finish line I think it’s high time that AC Milan replaced Mr. Pioli with Thiago Motta as the writing is on the wall and I believe he is the best candidate to replace our rigid old raggedy arse Manager and not Conte if I may say.
I have decidedly watched Thiago Motta system during matches and I can’t but admire his philosophy which doesn’t depend on the individual talents in the team but the appreciation of team work and the usage of the ball in a functional way.
I love the fact that Thiago Motta seems to be able to improve and bring out the best in his youthful team, making them to believe they can reach any height if their spirits and souls are combined and driven for a single purpose, something Mr. Pioli is lacking without a doubt and Mr. Conte can’t achieve without buying of supposedly ready made players.
I believe if AC Milan replaced Mr Pioli with Mr Motta there’s no gamble about this because the latter is tested and can trust to catapult AC Milan to the next level because has always been at the top.
Ibrahimovic give him the rein.
PS- You know sometimes I really wish Bologna lose their matches so that the team doesn’t make top 4 as it will be easier to poach him to AC Milan for 24/25 season as Manager.
I hope Motta and Bologna finish in the top 4 even if it means being harder to hire him – they deserve something like that for what they are doing and maybe then more people will be convinced that he’s about the most suitable candidate for Milan. Klopp won’t join.
I’m on the fence about that. Not that I don’t think they’d deserve it, they absolutely do. And I’d be happy for them anyways. But it’s only because their team would be stripped in the summer of their talent….coach and players, leaving a shell of the side we’re seeing now to plough throw the UCL. Motta’s coaching credentials has already been proven anyway. If they keep their team in tact…sure
That’s also true.
Unfortunately, I think you’re probably right. It will be like those seasons when Sampdoria or Udinese managed to squeak in and were subsequently embarrassed in Europe.
I was hoping for an Atalanta experience for Bologna but (assuming Motta not leading them and gone to hopefully Milan ,not Juve) if Gasperini were to be taken away from that Atalanta, they’d probably be too weakened for that amazing run. Like Gasperini with Atalanta , Motta seems to be having a huge influence over this Bologna.
Pioli should go regardless. Tired of where he’d be losing and when about to fire him, he will start winning for a bit again. He’s so good under those pressures and we may never be able to decide anything forever.