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How Stefano Pioli has orchestrated AC Milan’s latest revival

How Stefano Pioli has orchestrated AC Milan’s latest revival

Shiriki

Almost unnoticed, too late for the title but with plenty of hope for the future, AC Milan have revived their campaign, stormed into second place in Serie A and put themselves back in the picture for major honours this season. Rewind only a few short months and prior to Christmas it seemed improbable: the Rossoneri had won two of eight heading into December and were struggling in the Champions League. Fast forward to the end of March and it’s two defeats in 15 and everything has changed.

By Karl Matchett

Stefano Pioli is used to calls for him to depart by now. Milan is a demanding environment and perceived failings can be quickly amplified, even if there’s not much in the last decade to suggest they should be doing considerably better.

But every time he seems to be in peril, he finds a way; his Milan team continue to improve, impress, claw back ground and go again.

They’ve won more games than Juventus, scored more than Atalanta, conceded fewer than Roma. City rivals Internazionale might be way out in front, uncatchable this year and on course for the title, but AC can make it a Milan one-two for 2023/24 – and still have the possibility of European silverware on the horizon too, with a Europa League quarter-final against Roma to look forward to. Given they’ve already beaten them home and away domestically this term, hopes must be high they can progress to the last four there.

And yet, this improvement has come without the stars of the show necessarily having their best campaigns. Rafael Leão has mustered just five league goals, the same as left-back Theo Hernández or backup strikers Noah Okafor and Luka Jović, neither of whom have yet to clock more than 700 minutes on the pitch in Serie A this term.

Fikayo Tomori has missed plenty of games injured, Hernández has perhaps been slightly below his top level this term and – along with the ageless Olivier Giroud – Milan have had to rely on big contributions from the likes of Christian Pulisic and Ruben Loftus-Cheek, previously players who perhaps were not seen to be consistent enough to impact at the highest level.

Certainly there are still improvements to be made. Milan have kept 11 clean sheets this term in Serie A – fewer than Bologna and Torino, among others – are 11th for xG conceded (36) and, at the other end of the pitch, third for big chances created (71) and fourth for average possession, and touches in the opposition box.

If the numbers suggest they are only somewhat better than middle of the road, the sum total of them is that Pioli has them outperforming when it matters, able to find a way to do enough in one game, then again in another, then again in another – even when those fixtures require very different levels of performance to earn points.

Since the turn of the year, Milan have earned valuable wins over would-be rivals for the top four spots, with Fiorentina, Roma, Napoli, and Lazio all vanquished. They are not yet there though: the decisive run will come when they face their second leg at Roma, followed by the Milan derby and a trip to Juventus in successive matches, across just ten days in April. That will tell us much about if Milan are on the verge of becoming a power once more, a genuine threat to Bayer Leverkusen and Liverpool in the Europa League…or merely among the best of the rest in an undercooked Italian top flight.

Despite the lower-than-expected goal return, Leão remains their most likely and best source of success for the rest of the year. He leads the club stats for chances created (47), expected assists (6.6), successful dribbler per 90 (2.6) and penalties won (two).

The Portuguese star also leads the way in big chances created in Serie A this season (16) and only teammate Giroud (8) can match his tally for assists.

A top-four finish is not quite a formality for Milan, but it should be an eventuality. The statement for the summer and beyond which Pioli will want, which the fans will want, will be a strong finish for second place and European silverware once more. Like many other former giant clubs around the continent, they are still rebuilding to chase former glories; the Europa League isn’t the one they crave but it might just do for now.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every Milan game with xG, deep stats, and players ratings, on FotMob this season. Download the free app here.

How Stefano Pioli has orchestrated AC Milan’s latest revival

Almost unnoticed, too late for the title but with plenty of hope for the future, AC Milan have revived their campaign, stormed into second place in Serie A and put themselves back in the picture for major honours this season. Rewind only a few short months and prior to Christmas it seemed improbable: the Rossoneri had won two of eight heading into December and were struggling in the Champions League. Fast forward to the end of March and it’s two defeats in 15 and everything has changed.

By Karl Matchett

Stefano Pioli is used to calls for him to depart by now. Milan is a demanding environment and perceived failings can be quickly amplified, even if there’s not much in the last decade to suggest they should be doing considerably better.

But every time he seems to be in peril, he finds a way; his Milan team continue to improve, impress, claw back ground and go again.

They’ve won more games than Juventus, scored more than Atalanta, conceded fewer than Roma. City rivals Internazionale might be way out in front, uncatchable this year and on course for the title, but AC can make it a Milan one-two for 2023/24 – and still have the possibility of European silverware on the horizon too, with a Europa League quarter-final against Roma to look forward to. Given they’ve already beaten them home and away domestically this term, hopes must be high they can progress to the last four there.

And yet, this improvement has come without the stars of the show necessarily having their best campaigns. Rafael Leão has mustered just five league goals, the same as left-back Theo Hernández or backup strikers Noah Okafor and Luka Jović, neither of whom have yet to clock more than 700 minutes on the pitch in Serie A this term.

Fikayo Tomori has missed plenty of games injured, Hernández has perhaps been slightly below his top level this term and – along with the ageless Olivier Giroud – Milan have had to rely on big contributions from the likes of Christian Pulisic and Ruben Loftus-Cheek, previously players who perhaps were not seen to be consistent enough to impact at the highest level.

Certainly there are still improvements to be made. Milan have kept 11 clean sheets this term in Serie A – fewer than Bologna and Torino, among others – are 11th for xG conceded (36) and, at the other end of the pitch, third for big chances created (71) and fourth for average possession, and touches in the opposition box.

If the numbers suggest they are only somewhat better than middle of the road, the sum total of them is that Pioli has them outperforming when it matters, able to find a way to do enough in one game, then again in another, then again in another – even when those fixtures require very different levels of performance to earn points.

Since the turn of the year, Milan have earned valuable wins over would-be rivals for the top four spots, with Fiorentina, Roma, Napoli, and Lazio all vanquished. They are not yet there though: the decisive run will come when they face their second leg at Roma, followed by the Milan derby and a trip to Juventus in successive matches, across just ten days in April. That will tell us much about if Milan are on the verge of becoming a power once more, a genuine threat to Bayer Leverkusen and Liverpool in the Europa League…or merely among the best of the rest in an undercooked Italian top flight.

Despite the lower-than-expected goal return, Leão remains their most likely and best source of success for the rest of the year. He leads the club stats for chances created (47), expected assists (6.6), successful dribbler per 90 (2.6) and penalties won (two).

The Portuguese star also leads the way in big chances created in Serie A this season (16) and only teammate Giroud (8) can match his tally for assists.

A top-four finish is not quite a formality for Milan, but it should be an eventuality. The statement for the summer and beyond which Pioli will want, which the fans will want, will be a strong finish for second place and European silverware once more. Like many other former giant clubs around the continent, they are still rebuilding to chase former glories; the Europa League isn’t the one they crave but it might just do for now.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every Milan game with xG, deep stats, and players ratings, on FotMob this season. Download the free app here.