'Pioli will be sacked', 'Miracle required' - Reactions to Milan's defeat against Borussia Dortmund

Fans and pundits react to Milan‘s loss against Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League and many believe Stefano Pioli’s time at the club will come to an end in June although the Italian tactician is not the only one to be blamed.

The Rossoneri have little chances to qualify for the Champions League Round of 16 as they need to beat Newcastle away in two weeks and hope Borussia Dortmund beat PSG at home. Thanks to Tuesday’s 3-1 win over Milan, the Bundesliga side have qualified for the knockout phase with a game to spare, but are not yet guaranteed to be group winners.

Fans and pundits inevitably discuss the future of Pioli at the club. Milan have collected five points in the Champions League Group F, as many as Newcastle, and have only won one of their last five Serie A meetings. Pioli’s contract expires in June 2025, but many, including CBS pundit Matteo Bonetti, feel the Italian tactician will be sacked at the end of the season.

However, the Parma-born tactician is not the only one to be blamed, as the Rossoneri have been dealing with several physical issues this season. Just to make things worse, even Malick Thiaw suffered a muscle problem during the Dortmund game, meaning the Rossoneri have now suffered 25 injuries this season.

And what thoughts on Pioli for Milanisti? Some misfortune last night – penalty fluffed and centre back crisis – but has patience run out? He’ll presumably get a last shot at Newcastle in the CL but what next if they tumble out? Who should come in & what are targets?
— Giancarlo Rinaldi (@ginkers) November 29, 2023

I think Pioli has ran his course with Milan and that their best days together are in the past. I think he’ll be sacked next summer. I also think he receives an unfair amount of blame for every little thing that goes wrong.
— Matteo Bonetti (@Bonetti) November 28, 2023

While we don’t disagree, Pioli failing to beat Newcastle + Dortmund previously (with an fairly available squad) when they were there for the taking – nullifies any logic for tonight and injuries to be an excuse of not making it out of the group.

Our fate was sown before tonight https://t.co/VhHOs4QII7
— Milan Club Dublin (@MilanClubDublin) November 28, 2023

Learned today on X that Stefano Pioli is solely to blame for Giroud’s penalty miss and Calabria’s two individual errors that led to goals.
— Matteo Bonetti (@Bonetti) November 28, 2023

Only way for Milan to progress from the group: Win at Newcastle + PSG lose at Dortmund. Any other result and it’s over.

Also game in real trouble with that handball rule. pic.twitter.com/lkqsKyn3jf
— Adriano Del Monte (@adriandelmonte) November 28, 2023

FT: Milan 1-3 Dortmund #UCL

Milan still alive, just. Miracle required. pic.twitter.com/Y7ukRIMnuU
— Adriano Del Monte (@adriandelmonte) November 28, 2023

People criticized last year's Milan team.

But last year's team, with players like Messias, Saelemaekers, etc. would not have been at the bottom of this group. (Those two players alone scored as many UCL goals as this entire team have this season.)

It's about heart, not money.
— Milan Obsession (@milanobsession) November 28, 2023

Stefano Pioli believes he will be without Malick Thiaw for quite some time.

Speculating here, but Malick leaving the stadium on crutches spells more than a month at the least.

Jan-Carlo Simić might be debuting soon.

Milan sold off a key player to go and reinvest for a batch…
— Matt Santangelo (@Matt_Santangelo) November 29, 2023

Rafael Leão for AC Milan in the #UCL this season:

🥇 Most chances created from open play (𝟴) 🪄
🥇 Most dribbles completed (𝟭𝟱) 🌪️
🥇 Most progressive carries (𝟯𝟰) ⚡️

It could have been different with him against Dortmund…. pic.twitter.com/bEmKUmhz4L
— Best of Rafael Leão (@BestofLeao) November 29, 2023

Milan have only scored twice in their four #UCL games this season, with only Benfica (1) netting fewer so far.

Only Inter (-3.8) have underperformed against their expected goals total by a bigger margin than Milan in the group stage this term (-3.7 – two goals from 5.7 xG). pic.twitter.com/cryCMxUSSH
— MilanData📊 (@acmilandata) November 28, 2023

Nightmare game for Milan. Defensively a mess. Calabria & Maignan awful

Pioli played into BVB hands, they cut thru so easy on transition. Adli too open at regista

Attack blunt without Leao. Another injury too

Big questions of Pioli. 2W 2D 4L in last 8. Need miracle to go thru
— Carlo Garganese (@carlogarganese) November 28, 2023

Time to hire an external investigation to look into Milan’s training, nutrition and recovery procedures. This screams incompetence. And it’s not the first time Milan is suffering from an immense number of injuries… https://t.co/u9v9KTutHJ
— Maxi (@MaaxiAngelo) November 28, 2023

milan in big games this season:

• humiliated by inter 5-1
• newcastle at home 0-0
• dortmund 0-0
• worst juve of all time lost 1-0 at home (rabiot captain)
• torn apart 3-0 by psg
• bottled a 2 goal lead to napoli and drew 2-2
• awful 3-1 loss to dortmund at home pic.twitter.com/nnSRfYXwjG
— christian (@caquino__) November 28, 2023

any of these will do @acmilan pic.twitter.com/CM8HukvbMC
— Inside Milan (@_InsideMilan) November 28, 2023

3-1 Loss. Can confidently say majority of us saw this coming.

We haven’t been good enough. They look displaced and lost on the field and it been showing off field as well.

Major major changes need to happen in the upcoming weeks otherwise we won’t be getting top 4.
— ‎. (@FinallyACMilan) November 28, 2023

There’s a time for everything, a beginning and an ending.
I think for Pioli the latter the only solution, we are going backwards, despite getting few new players, things aren’t working.
— The AC Milan-Godfather (@ACMilanSydney) November 28, 2023

‘Pioli will be sacked’, ‘Miracle required’ – Reactions to Milan’s defeat against Borussia Dortmund

ByLorenzo Bettoni

ByLorenzo Bettoni

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