The AC Milan head coach, Stefano Pioli, for the first time since joining Milan, is really at risk of losing his job.
After the draw in Salerno, the coach's position has become increasingly fragile, and the club, after reflecting on it, has still decided to give him more time. The upcoming games will be decisive, starting with Saturday's match against Sassuolo.
As reported by La Gazzetta dello Sport in this morning's print edition, the Rossoneri management indeed sees the coming Sassuolo fixture as a crucial test.
AC Milan get three points on paper, but on the field, it's a different matter...
On paper, Milan should be at ease and could defeat Sassuolo. However, the moment is extremely tough, and what's primarily needed is a psychological redemption.
What could put Pioli's team back into winning ways? Firstly, the top players need to be motivated properly: especially Rafael Leao and Theo Hernandez, who appeared lackluster against Salernitana, need to be put in conditions, even mentally, to impact and decide matches.
Then there are Pioli's loyal players, those who are playing consistently or more than others: from Mike Maignan to Davide Calabria, including newcomers Christian Pulisic and Tijjani Reijnders.
But above all, Olivier Giroud, who has previously proven adept at resolving critical situations. Thus, a lot will depend on the defense. Once again, due to injury, the backline will change its setup.
Against Sassuolo, it seems like it will be the Kjaer-Simic pairing, a generational encounter. Lastly, Pioli's great mantra is required: work. In past seasons, amid many difficulties, Milan emerged by this method: this year, crises haven't led to resurgences, and facing Sassuolo feels like the last resort even in this regard, as relayed via Milan News.
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