Alessandro Costacurta has given his thoughts on the idea that Stefano Pioli is reaching the end of his time at AC Milan, shifting blame back onto the players for their part in the Monza defeat.
When head coach Stefano Pioli decided to start six different players from the squad that had defeated Stade Rennais handily the Thursday before in the match against Monza, some people took notice.
He took the decision to virtually completely change the attack and midfield, starting Luka Jovic in the lead, Samuel Chukwueze on the right, and Noah Okafor on the left. We examined Pioli’s struggle with efficient rotation in a piece we wrote earlier this week.
In his post-match interview on Sky, Matteo Gabbia expressed some disagreement with Costacurta’s evaluation of the performance against Monza, believing the former defender had been overly critical of specific players.
They now have to respond in the second leg against Rennes, but it will be challenging because they are ahead 3-0 and need to concentrate more on maintaining possession of the ball than on attacking.
Costacurta, who won the Intercontinental Cup twice and the Champions League five times, is a man who knows how to win in Europe. He spoke with La Gazzetta dello Sport prior to tonight’s match in Rennes.
Are Milan able to get to the final of the Europa League?
“Liverpool and Leverkusen are stronger. Against them they wouldn’t be the favourite, but in a possible final anything can happen. The qualities to get to the end are there.”
Is it right to shift the season’s ambitions to the Europa League?
“The season is good if you make it to the final and you can even take the loss. There are several benefits to competing for a European title: exposure and technical proficiency.
It builds suspense and gets you eager for the journey. Conversely, the season would deteriorate. And I emphasize that it’s not excellent; I try not to be critical.
Pioli decided to rotate for the game against Monza at the weekend, fielding the reserve options. Was he right to do so?
“I know that Pioli does not accept the term ‘reserve’, so I say that the replacements have disappointed. Chukwueze, Jovic and Okafor should have given much more. And it’s wrong to always blame the coach, the players are responsible: they disappointed me, not Pioli.”
Does not pointing the finger at the coach mean renewing your trust in him for next year?
“Too early to say. If Milan reach the [Europa League] final and get second in the league, for me yes, he must be kept. If they let Inter go to 20 points ahead and exit Europe against a team that isn’t up to the level of Liverpool or Bayer, it’s right to question him.”
In your opinion, which side is the team on?
“The feeling of the end of the cycle [for Pioli] belongs more to the fans. The players show that they follow him, recently they have won thanks to team spirit, due to the strength of unity. And the group is created thanks to the coach. Then they determine the results and Pioli knows this better than anyone.”
Conceding fewer goals would help, is it a question of individual errors?
The same as it was earlier. The coach is to blame for the imbalance, but the player also needs to be able to make better decisions when they are on the field. Who would have guessed that Pirlo would become such a master at deflecting balls? or that Calhanoglu is capable of it?
Adli, Bennacer, and Reijnders are the ones who must advance. For the same reason, I would prioritize making midfield investments in the summer. There, all of Europe’s best teams have an impact. Rodri is the ideal representation of Manchester City.
Is it enough to rely on Leao up front?
He has improved his attitude, which I have witnessed, and it is the foundation for all other improvements, starting with his increased goal-finding. I’ve been critical of him a lot since he was viewed as a champion too soon and still isn’t.
But I notice that he has a different mindset and is more willing to make sacrifices. And he can truly approach the greats if he has the will to study.
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