The result obtained on the field against Lecce is a bet that hurts AC Milan badly, both in morale and in the standings.
Tomorrow, Inter, by winning, can go 8 points ahead. The expulsion of Giroud, a player known for his experience and fairness, for repeated protest with an insult to the referee is a negative signal.
AC Milan, in addition to all of that, has a huge issue with muscle injuries, and for the first time, Pioli publicly admits it after the game: "It's true that we are suffering a lot of injuries. I don't have an explanation, but it certainly can't be just bad luck. Playing a lot, physical and mental stress increases, and this can affect the players."
The Rossoneri travels with an average of 4 unavailable players per game, and since the start of the season, they have suffered 16 muscle injuries. This trend was also seen in the previous season and even before that. A team that must constantly deal with emergencies pays a price in terms of fatigue, both physical and mental, and competitiveness, writes Calciomercato.com.
While for well over an hour, Milan had displayed a great game, the same cannot be said for the final half-hour with a blackout that has many causes.
The most evident is a questionable substitution management: Musah deployed as a right-back instead of Alessandro Florenzi was the negative moment with two glaring mistakes leading to the conceded goals, Krunic stayed on the field despite a mediocre performance in both phases, and Jovic inserted in the final moments was once again ineffective.
There are many points for reflection on Pioli's actions, who, more than ever in this phase of his experience at Milan, seems to be struggling. Now it's up to the Rossoneri coach, Stefano Pioli, to ensure that the splendid performance against PSG doesn't remain an isolated case before it's too late.
