Pioli, Milan and the anti-crisis breakthrough in four moves – Corriere.it

The change-maker Pioli’s breakthrough has a precise date, the night of January 29, after that day at lunchtime his Milan had reached rock bottom, with that tremendous 2-5 draw at home against Sassuolo that had left seventy thousand speechless Rossoneri fans. It was returning home after that defeat that the coach of the Diavolo admitted first of all to himself that something had to change: Everything that has worked in these two years, which has allowed us to play great football, now no longer works. words in the press room. Translation: it is no longer the moment to insist on the search for a soccer show, all running and attacking, but too expensive and risky if there is a lack of intensity and athletic endurance. The talks with Maldini and Massara were then decisive, at the end of which Pioli perfected his restart plan, which in the first chapter had (wisely) the defense reform.

The crisis unit

Elasticity is synonymous with intelligence. And the crisis unit worked. The decision to switch to three was initially contested even by a master like Sacchi, but the truth is that these three consecutive successes and always without conceding a goal are proven proof of the fact that the plan is effective. In the derby the interpretation was too conservative, but with the right break-in the back department found its mechanisms. Pioli was good at understanding that change was a need that could no longer be postponed. Just as the use of Thiaw as a third stopper could no longer be postponed: the German gave the order and has now become irreplaceable. A sign that not all of the summer transfer market was a bankruptcy.

Golden bench

I’d be happy to always win 1-0, smiled the coach at Monza, who however knows well how to get out of this phase permanently, his Milan must take a further leap forward, in terms of building the game and resoluteness in front of the goal: too many goals are being missed. Once solidity has been found in defense, now the focus is on midfield and attack. One step at a time. Meanwhile today Pioli will receive the (deserved) Golden Bench in Coverciano for the championship season. It is a highly coveted award, because it is the coaches who vote.

The presence of Ibrahimovic

However, there is not only the new philosophy of the short face behind the Rossoneri restart. Individual and group interviews were fundamental, but also the Ibrahimovic effect. Since he returned to work with the others, before the match he won against Turin, the team has picked up the pace in training. Those who live Milanello day by day ensure that the presence of the Swedish champion, who returned after almost nine months of rehabilitation following ACL surgery, was providential. Even in Monza the center forward remained on the bench, a sign that his physical condition is still insufficient, but the truth is that his presence was enough. Let’s think about the team and not about ourselves, the meaning of his words. In other words: you will think about individual issues, such as contract renewals, later. The result is that even certain misunderstandings inside the locker room have been overcome. Look at Tatarusanu: first his own comrades attacked him (wrongly), but now they support him. As they are doing with poor De Ketelaere, who now just needs help. So the Devil came out of his hell, so now he looks up again.