AC Milan's legendary ex coach, Arrigo Sacchi, has shared his thoughts on AC Milan's roster through this morning's La Gazzetta dello Sport's newspaper pages. Here are his words:
"Aside from Calabria, who I'm not sure will be a starter, there isn't an Italian player in the starting lineup for the Rossoneri. I'm really curious to see how so many different cultures can work together. I'm convinced of one thing: foreigners, when they come to our league, except for rare cases, need at least a year to adapt. It's not easy for a player coming from Spain, France, the Netherlands, or England to put on the AC Milan jersey, step onto the field in front of San Siro's crowd, and immediately deliver wonders."
Sacchi adds:
"Pioli, who demonstrated his abilities in the championship-winning season, will need to be skillful in harmonising all the resources that the club has made available to him. In the choice of having a team primarily composed of foreigners, I see a philosophical indication of the club's stance. I wouldn't be pleased if I were a fan: I believe that having some Italians would also be important to convey the history and style of a centuries-old club. However, if they succeed in their endeavour and achieve positive results in terms of both gameplay and points right from the start, then there's nothing left to do but applaud."
Sacchi concludd
"If the Rossoneri want to play with the 4-3-3 formation, however, whether they're Italians or foreigners, they must understand that the two wingers need to contribute defensively, otherwise they'll struggle quite a bit."
