Friday evening at the King Saud Stadium, Stefano Pioli was moved. For the first time since his departure from Milan, he watched his boys live. He was even more emotional the day before, when he embraced them. "Beautiful. The esteem and respect remain intact. It's a testament to the value of the journey we had. A Supercoppa final against Inter? No, Milan showed resilience in the second half against Juventus. The win brings enthusiasm, and Conceição has more time to work. Inter is the strongest, but the final remains open."
Pioli, how is your life in Riyadh?
"It’s the routine of a professional: from 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM at the training ground when the heat reached 45°C. Now, it's cooler in the mornings. On Fridays, we finish by 11 AM out of respect for religious practices. I live in a well-equipped compound about 30 km from our training center, with my wife, son, and staff. We play padel, go bowling, and explore the city’s ethnic restaurants. Apart from the traffic, all is well," he told La Gazzetta dello Sport.
An Arabic word you’ve learned?
"'Yalla,' which I also use in training to say 'Let’s go… let’s go…,' and 'Mabrouk,' which means congratulations."
Do people recognise you on the streets?
"Everywhere… in malls, restaurants. They call me 'Bioli,' with a B. They say, 'Hi Bioli… AC Milan… Scudetto….' There are many Milan fans here."
How much do you miss your grandchildren? Pioli replied:
"Terribly. And my friends too. But it was a deliberate choice to leave my comfort zone; I felt the need for an experience abroad."
How did the Saudis win you over?
"With their questions at the first meeting: competent, targeted. It was the best professional approach of my career. Then, without hypocrisy: the money played a role."
You seemed set on taking a sabbatical...
"True. I had planned a year off after five beautiful but exhausting years at Milan. I had a month in London lined up to improve my English and visit clubs like Chelsea and Tottenham. I could have enjoyed my super contract with Milan, but I soon realised I would struggle to stay idle."
Offers from Italy?
"Three. The first in May, the last just before the Saudi move. But after the splendid adventure at Milan, coaching in Italy didn’t feel right."
Would you have competed for the Scudetto?
"I think so…"
On the level of Arab football, Pioli commented:
"Higher than I expected: 6-7 teams could compete in Serie A, and 3-4 would be in the Champions League spots. Initially, at Al-Nassr, I didn’t push hard. Gradually, we brought the players to where we wanted them, especially in terms of intensity."
On Cristiano Ronaldo:
"If I arrive 30 minutes early for training, he’s there 25 minutes before me. He’s always the first on the bus. A perfectionist who demands a lot from himself and others. He lives for the team, helps, and advises. Sometimes I let him talk to the players. I can’t treat him like the others. But he’s intelligent and respects roles."
You also gave Zlatan Ibrahimovic space in the locker room...
"Yes, but they have different characters. Ibra was impetuous with a dominant personality. Cristiano is a legend, planetary, enormous… He has 1,000 official goals in mind. He’ll reach it. He’s not far off."
Do you still hear from Zlatan Ibrahimovic? Pioli answered:
"He wrote to me when I signed with Al-Nassr, and I congratulated him after Madrid. We embraced here in Riyadh. It was a pleasure to coach him—not easy, but that’s what made it a pleasure. He’ll surely remember an important discussion in my office. It helped me."
About Paolo Maldini and Frederic Massara...
"We’ve stayed in touch. I worked well with two honest and highly competent people. Our understanding was strong. With Paolo, there were also heated discussions because we’re both stubborn."
Do your former players still call you?
"Many do. But honestly, we rarely talk about Milan."
Theo Hernandez is very attached to you. He’s struggling now...
"Theo is a good guy. Everyone has their own strategies to get the best from players. There wasn’t a single day at Milan when I didn’t have to push him. But tell me, is there another left-back in the world who can shift games like he can? They criticized me for always using the carrot. Not true. But I didn’t show the stick publicly."
What about Rafael Leao?
"In criticizing him, people lose sight of reality: a boy in continuous growth. Even this year. I remain convinced Rafa can become much stronger, not sure if a Ballon d’Or winner, but much better than he is now. He’s getting there. When he went to the national team, I’d tell him, 'Watch everything CR7 does and report back.' He’d return, tell me, and I’d say, 'See? Do that too!'"
Tijjani Reijnders has grown a lot. You pushed hard to get him. Pioli replied:
"Moncada told me, 'Take a look at this guy.' I had already admired him in a Conference League game against West Ham. I was struck by his elegance and ability to bypass opponents without dribbling. Yes, I did everything to get him. Early in the season, he had two chances a game. I’d hammer him: 'Tijj, I’ll pull the goals out of you.' Now he’s scoring them all. Fofana completed him. Losing Krunić gave us problems. Playing in Italy isn’t easy; it takes a year to adapt."
On Charles De Ketelaere…
"Gasperini did brilliantly to find the right role for him in attack. We already had Giroud and Leão, so we needed someone to work further back. He then grew athletically and found his place at Bergamo. San Siro and the Milan shirt carry weight. Charles is very talented, but he struggled in the Dublin final and last year against us: Thiaw neutralised him. He still needs to learn to handle pressure. He’s young. We didn’t make a mistake signing him."
Have you watched Milan games?
"Not much. Honestly, I couldn’t. I’d get too emotional watching them on TV. It was a significant break. I only watched one full game—the worst one, Milan-Juve. And the second half against Real."
So you didn’t see the derby… Pioli answered:
"It was destined for Milan to win without me."
After five years, was the story between you and Milan over, or did the derbies play a role?
"It was a natural conclusion; the derbies sped it up. Losing six in a row hurt, of course. Especially the two Champions League ones, because they overshadowed a great achievement: returning to the semifinals after 16 years."
Did injuries play a role? Milan still suffers from them without you.
"At Al-Nassr, I’ve had just one minor muscle strain for Talisca, who missed only one match. The methods are the same as last year."
When did you realize your time at Milan was over?
"There was a precise moment: the return leg of the Europa League quarterfinals, Roma-Milan, at the Olimpico. We’d lost 1-0 in the first leg. In the locker room, I gave one of my most heartfelt speeches ever. Goosebumps. I was sure we’d advance. But nothing reached the team, and they did little on the field. That’s when I realized that what I gave wasn’t enough anymore. The empathy had broken."
Any regrets? Pioli said:
"None. I have only one way to measure a professional experience: evaluate the team as I found it and as I left it. Everything in between—the good and the bad—is part of the journey and must be accepted."
You found Milan in 11th place, out of the Champions League for five years, and without a Scudetto in eight; you left it in 2nd place, in the Champions League, with a Scudetto.
"For five years, I gave Milan everything I had to make the club, players, and fans happy. But I didn’t receive less than I gave in return. The balance is even. I experienced unimaginable and unforgettable emotions. I’ll be forever grateful."
Choose one photograph from the Scudetto campaign.
"Tonali’s goal against Lazio: Giroud, partly happy for the crucial goal, partly annoyed because I’d subbed him off, jumps on me and knocks me over. Few noticed. And then the Scudetto celebration, the joy of my friends in Sassuolo. Few remember how young that team was. We did incredible mental work. I wish Milan the same joy and all the best in the future. With all my heart."
Even for director Ibra?
"Of course. When you take on a new role, you have to learn a lot and grow through mistakes. Zlatan is intelligent; he’ll grow and do well."
Al-Nassr fans sing ‘Pioli on fire.’
"Especially at the start, when we were always winning… but even now on the streets: ‘Hi, Bioli on fire….’ It’s nice, but I want that song to remain linked to the unique magic of the Scudetto. I’m a bit jealous of it."
Is Inter still the strongest?
"Yes, even though Atalanta has improved, thanks to Gasperini’s exceptional work and the Percassis. I liked a recent interview by Ancelotti, where he explained how he overcame difficulties and the 4-0 loss to Barcelona with the club’s support. That’s how it is—I’ve experienced it too: no winning project exists without a strong club behind it."
What about Napoli?
"Conte is a guarantee for Italian football. They’ve strengthened his team, and he has weeks free from European competitions. He’ll fight until the end."
Pioli, what do you see beyond the desert dunes?
"I want to take Al-Nassr to the Final Four of the Champions League, in Riyadh, and try to lift the trophy. We’ve laid the groundwork; if we win next year, I’ll stay. Otherwise, we’ll see. The most stimulating league remains the Premier League. I’ve entered my 60th year, but I feel like a boy. It’s not time to stop yet. 'Yalla'… Let’s go…*."
