Milan coach Stefano Pioli explains why he doesn’t talk to players after games, but reveals how he impressed them before Atalanta-Milan last season.
It was the last match of 2020-21 and the Rossoneri needed a win to return to the Champions League for the first time in seven years.
During an interview with DAZN ahead of Sunday’s Roma-Milan, Pioli revealed his speech before the match against La Dea.
“In that speech, I said something about each player, something they had done to help the team get there,” Pioli said as quoted by Calciomercato.com.
“The kilometres ran by Kessié or how high Tomori had jumped to score against Juventus. I said a specific thing about each player.
“After that speech, I realized that I had impressed my players. I made it before leaving the hotel to go to the stadium.”
However, Pioli reveals he is not a coach that likes to speak to his players after games.
“You say the most important things before, not after. Now I don’t even say anything anymore. With Ibra, I barely enter the dressing room,” he said smiling.
“After the games, there may be little clarity, I prefer to speak the next day.”
Milan are the Serie A table leaders, on even points with Napoli.
The Rossoneri and the Partenopei have collected nine wins and one draw each.
Milan visit José Mourinho’s Roma on Sunday before meeting Porto and Inter.
Pioli’s contract at San Siro expires at the end of the season, but the Rossoneri are already preparing a contract extension for the 56-year-old who was appointed in October 2019 to replace Marco Giampaolo.
#Pioli: '#Ibra ha aiutato tutti, da quando c'è lui entro meno in spogliatoio. #Milan, che prestigio! Sentiamo la pressione di dover vincere' https://t.co/TsXmrZyM4N pic.twitter.com/H7FhiLwEzF
— calciomercato.com (@cmdotcom) October 29, 2021
The great Jimmy Greaves once said “It’s a funny old game…” I thought exactly that the other day when Ralf Rangnick got mentioned with the Newcastle vacancy… would ACM be too now with Ralf in charge?