The Italian press were clearly disappointed with the work of Stefano Pioli and his Milan, criticising the coach for the 2-0 loss to Inter in the Champions League semi-finals.
The Rossoneri conceded twice in the opening 11 minutes of the match at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, allowing Edin Dzeko and Henrikh Mkhitaryan to give the Nerazzurri a vital boost soon after kick-off.
The defeat leaves Milan with a mountain to climb in their second leg next week, a match they’ll be desperate to recover star winger Rafael Leao, whose absence was painfully felt as Inter comfortably closed out their 2-0 win.
La Gazzetta dello Sport were unimpressed with Pioli, highlighting how the match was seemingly a repeat of their Supercoppa Italiana loss to Inter, saying: “Inter went three times as fast, won more duels, had a mean face. Milan, terribly, did not. It is too similar to Riyadh. The spirit, at least, is there: Milan are still alive.”
Corriere dello Sport were unequally impressed with the Italian coach and his team, touching on the lack of decisive tactics, noting: “The aggressiveness shown in the first minutes is not accompanied by focus. The application and attention of a Champions semi-final is missing. Tactically the Diavolo are always too short. Is the reaction of the second half true or is it the result of a more managing Inter?”
Corriere della Sera suggested that Pioli needs to make some changes to Milan for the second leg, regardless of the fitness of Leao, commenting: “The question is: would it have gone differently with Leao? Maybe not, probably not, the overall gap is too wide. Milan entered the match late, too late.
“Now it gets tough, coming back from two goals down would not be impossible, especially with an extra Leao, but it certainly needs a different Diavolo. The one from the first leg has no chance.”
Tuttosport were not interested in hearing the excuse of bad luck, referring back to the Supercoppa Italiana final, saying: “As in the Supercoppa, they conceded two goals in the early stages. The excuse of bad luck doesn’t hold.”
Pioli’s ratings in the Italian newspapers:
La Gazzetta dello Sport: 5
Corriere dello Sport: 5
Tuttosport: 4
Corriere della Sera: 5