Arrigo Sacchi discussed the AC Milan squad of Stefano Pioli after the defeat at the San Siro against Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League competition with a 1-3 result. Here is his analysis of the match in La Gazzetta dello Sport pages as usual:
"Milan has shown that they are not yet a team. And if you are not a team, if you are not a collective, if you play individually, if you don't have the correct distances between the lines and if you don't press, in Europe, you will struggle. This was evident in the match at San Siro against Borussia Dortmund. Now, the path towards qualification for the Rossoneri is an almost impossible uphill task, a sort of Mortirolo (a high mountain pass) to climb. I hope they manage it, even though other results need to align, but the reality is that this Milan doesn't provide tranquility, it doesn't transmit security, it lacks the necessary balance."
Sacchi added:
"It's true that Giroud's missed penalty may have influenced the performance, but it's equally true that Pioli's boys managed to get back into the game. Chukwueze's goal was beautiful, an appreciable and courageous action, but unfortunately, it wasn't followed by others. And therein lies the problem. Too many ups and downs within the same match and too many lapses in concentration, especially in the defensive line. Look at the Germans' second goal: the Rossoneri were positioned poorly, one player went to double up, didn't get the ball, and left the opponent free on the flank. These mistakes, at the international level, are costly; it's inevitable. Just as inevitable is the thought that this team was built this summer with many new faces, especially foreigners, and it takes a lot of time to give a clear identity to the entire group."
Sacchi: Pioli's team was depleted...
"Another detail not to overlook: Milan came into this match with a depleted squad. Pioli had few opportunities to reshape the lineup with substitutions. And as if that wasn't enough, Thiaw also got injured: the issue of successive injuries is weighing heavily on the team's development, and a remedy needs to be found as soon as possible."
He added:
"It can't be said that effort was lacking. On the contrary. Those who took the field gave everything they had. The trouble is that this 'everything' wasn't enough to overcome the obstacle, and this defeat risks jeopardizing the upcoming period. In these conditions, the team's psychological resilience is fundamental, and it's primarily on this aspect that Pioli will work to ensure his men don't fall into despondency."
On Samuel Chukwueze:
"Against the Germans, I saw Chukwueze performing well, with excellent moments and good speed, but it's the overall collective that didn't function as it should have. Sometimes Milan is too stretched, decidedly disjointed, and this results in the fundamental lack of collaboration between the lines."
Sacchi concluded:
"The growth process is still ongoing, this is quite evident, and it's also normal considering how many players were purchased in the summer. If it takes nine months to have a child, shall we give the right time to a coach to give shape to his project? I know patience is an unknown quality to fans, I know everyone wants the best right from the beginning of the season, but in this case, waiting, reasoning, reflecting, and persisting in the ideas proposed to the players are necessary. Haste, in football as in life, is never a good advisor."
