Stefano Pioli insists he is not concerned about the safety of his job as head coach of Milan, but has admitted that he and the team need to improve in various areas during his pre-match press conference on Friday afternoon.
The Rossoneri coach sat down for his customary chat with the media prior to the team’s upcoming Serie A clash against Sassuolo at San Siro on Saturday, kicking off at 17.00 GMT.
It will be a sell-out occasion at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, a sign that Milan have all the necessary support behind them according to Pioli.
“My thoughts are simple: it’s confirmation that we have an incredible fan base, and importantly, they make themselves heard in tough moments. It is a heritage that we must protect, because it is a rarity.
“This has been a week of work. We are focused on immediate improvement, working with a lot of attention and care to put in a convincing and winning performance tomorrow.”
Pioli was asked if any particular memories come to mind when playing Sassuolo, a fixture which has provided plenty of ups and downs in recent years. “That memory of the Scudetto comes to mind, of course, but so do the last three defeats at home,” he said, via TMW.
Then came questions over Pioli’s long-term future at the club, with pressure from supporters beginning to mount after a slightly underwhelming first half of the 2023-24 season.
“I’m not afraid. I would like the team to express its full potential. We must have better distances on the pitch, being more compact in terms of quality and timing.
“We must always leave the pitch knowing that we have given everything. We have made mistakes that have had an impact on the outcome of some of our matches.
“The positive thing is that we create many scoring situations, the negative thing is that we have to be more compact.”
Asked if Milan are currently lacking natural leaders in the squad, Pioli replied: “It’s wrong to talk about individuals. We are a hard-working group that always tries to improve, tries to grow, and is aware that it isn’t performing as well as it can. We can all do better.”
Pioli did grow slightly frustrated with some of the scrutiny on his team, interrupting one reporter’s question on Milan’s summer signings. “It’s been said … I really like it when you say what’s said. Who says that?! The new players are fantastic, they come from different leagues and are doing well.”
“Serie A is the most complicated, one of the more difficult leagues, both on a tactical level, and in terms of expectations and pressure. Our problem is that we are lacking consistency in games and this is not good.”
Pioli then explained why Milan have faced difficulties at the back this year, having conceded 63 goals across 2023.
He responded: “Because we haven’t been compact. Sometimes the five up front don’t fit in well, sometimes the five at the back aren’t so precise in their timing.
“There’s a lot of talk about technique, tactics, organisation, but knowing how to do your talking on the pitch is very, very important and we can improve a lot on this.
“Milan must win tomorrow’s match, because we need the points. We cannot expect to make up for everything tomorrow. The season is still long: there is the return leg, the Europa League, the Coppa Italia. I like time and patience, and I would like to provide continuity.”