CorSport: Pioli called upon to change approach after nightmare start to big week | OneFootball

AC Milan’s ‘week of fire’ comes to an end tomorrow when they face Napoli at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, and a positive result is needed after two defeats.

As Corriere dello Sport (via MilanNews) recall, Milan first lost against Juventus on Sunday night, then were beaten 3-0 by PSG three days later in the Champions League. Tomorrow the obstacle will be a growing Napoli side away from home, one of the toughest fixtures of any season.

The Rossoneri need to find alternatives to the default game plan that Pioli has introduced since the start of the summer. Despite very different results, Milan’s three defeats all have characteristics in common: they all arrived in big games.

The two losses in the league were against rivals for the Scudetto (Inter, Juventus) while in the French capital the defeat has made it hard to reach the knockout stages of the Champions League.

An overly aggressive defensive attitude that often left the opponents free in one on one situations against the Milan defenders. Both after the 5-1 in the derby and after the defeat against Juve, Pioli decided not to distort his idea, which came unstuck against PSG again.

Against Napoli there is the opportunity – having gained the trust of the club – to put a more mature Milan on the field and one that knows how to choose alternative ways to try to face fast teams capable of counter-attacking.

The Rossoneri will show up at Maradona without Malick Thiaw who has been, with Tomori, the Diavolo’s starting central defender at the start of the season. The last week has been a nightmare for the German and the red card earned against Juve means he is suspended.

To replace him, Pioli is thinking above all of Pierre Kalulu. The Frenchman returned to the ranks just last week in the match against the Bianconeri, after a period of about a month in which he was injured, and he wants to try win back a starting spot.

The duel for the starting spot is with Simon Kjaer who, a few months ago, was decisive in getting through the Champions League quarter-final against Napoli. However, it was a Milan that had set up a purely defensive game plan and were able to counter.

More Stories / The Match

CorSport: Pioli called upon to change approach after nightmare start to big week

28 October 2023, 10:10

How Pioli’s latest tactical metamorphosis has left Milan stranded halfway

27 October 2023, 20:31

MN: Milan given boost ahead of Napoli game as forward returns to training

27 October 2023, 17:59