CM: How Milan’s transfer plans have put Brahim Diaz in a difficult and high-pressure situation | OneFootball

The headlines have been dominated by the anger and the fury of the AC Milan players and fans after the loss against Spezia, but another worrying theme continues.

Calciomercato.com writes how Brahim Diaz’s poor performance went somewhat unnoticed because of the fall out after the game, which continued a theme that has been in place since he came down with Covid-19. The question now is whether the virus is enough to justify the incredible decline of a player who scored four goals in the first nine games of the season, with three of them match-winners.

Head coach Stefano Pioli has always defended him, but in recent press conferences he has also sent a message regarding the No.10 role in his system and who is the best to interpret it. “Milan can do without everyone. It depends on the way of playing and not on the players,” he said.

“It depends on the players to maintain the hierarchy and the starting position. You have to be ready mentally and physically if you want to remain a Milan starter,” Pioli added.

At the beginning of the season, Milan chose to bet everything on the Spaniard who returned to Milan from Real Madrid on a two-year loan and with an option to buy and a buy-back. He ended the 2020-21 campaign well and it was thought that he could be Hakan Calhanoglu’s replacement.

Despite the requests of the coach, the management have so far chosen not to invest in another number 10 who can come in and immediately take the pressure off, signing Yacine Adli but leaving him on loan at Bordeaux until the summer.

Even now a signing for the department is not to be taken into consideration meaning the attacking midfielder role will still be occupied solely and exclusively by Brahim Diaz, putting even more pressure on the 22-year-old to find his best form.

READ MORE: Five things we learned from Milan vs. Spezia – absences felt; temporary issue drags on