Fabio Capello, a former coach of AC Milan, spoke to La Gazzetta dello Sport today about Stefano Pioli's team and the delicate moment he is in currently especially after the heavy defeat against Paris Saint-Germain at 'Parc des Princes' stadium in the Champions League competition. Here are his words:
"First, a distinction must be made. In the first two matches, the team did not capitalise on the chances created, they built their opportunities and then missed them. It depends on the technique of the shot or header, nothing else. In Paris, they hardly entered the opponent's area at all. Only once did they find themselves in front of the opposing goalkeeper with Christian Pulisic, who then made the wrong choice, trying for an easy goal with a central pass to Olivier Giroud instead of shooting. But Pulisic himself was there thanks to a long clearance from Mike Maignan. It's good to take advantage of the goalkeeper's launch, but it certainly can't become a strategy, it doesn't exist."
Capello on Olivier Giroud and Rafael Leao's goal drought:
"It's a problem. But more than Giroud, Milan is left-dependent. They rely a lot on that flank and on the plays of Theo Hernández and Rafa. And the problem now is that even Theo doesn't change pace as he used to. Leao is like that, too relaxed but also unique with the ability to break away and dribble. He needs to improve in front of goal, in the precision of his shot. This year he also needs to review his crosses, in past years he was more careful. But as for the possibility of missing a player... I read that the transfer market was done in collaboration with the coach and that's enough for me."
On Milan's defense collapsing due to the attempts of Kylian Mbappé, Capello said:
"He's a player who is too difficult to mark because he has technique and an incredibly fast execution, he knows how to steal time like very few others. But it's true that accepting so many one-on-ones with players like that means exposing oneself to risk at the very least."
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