A run of three games without a win has turned up the pressure dial at AC Milan in recent weeks, with reports of dressing room unrest only making things worse. But coach Stefano Pioli heaped praise on his squad ahead of the visit of Udinese on Saturday, calling them the most “solid and cohesive” he has coached, even more so than the team he won the title with. Watch Serie A live on TNT Sports.
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AC Milan coach Stefano Pioli has leapt to the defence of his struggling players, saying the current squad is the most “cohesive, eager and willing” he has ever had.
The Rossoneri started the season brightly but have hit a mini-slump recently, failing to win any of their last three games ahead of Saturday’s Serie A clash with Udinese – live on TNT Sports.
Pioli’s side suffered defeats to Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain before throwing away a 2-0 half-time lead to draw 2-2 away to Napoli last weekend.
Milan and Pioli have since come in for criticism, while there were reports of tension between the coach and some of his players, including captain Davide Calabria.
But Pioli looked to draw a line under his side’s recent run ahead of the visit of a Udinese side still looking for their first win of the season.
“I am sure about one thing: I’ve never had such a solid, cohesive, compact, eager, and willing group before,” Pioli said.
“Not even in the year we won the Scudetto. And in such a short time.
“This is something that rarely happens, and I told the players that we must take advantage of it because I’m coaching a group with a fantastic attitude.”
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Milan head into Saturday’s game in third place in Serie A, three points behind league leaders Inter Milan.
Pioli admitted frustration that the three Serie A games his side have failed to win this season were all against direct title rivals: Inter, Juventus and Napoli.
“It’s normal [to be criticised] if Milan don’t win in three games. That’s quite right,” Pioli said.
“We must improve, we have had three head-to-head games against our direct rivals, and we haven’t managed to win even one.
“We have done positive things but must raise our level, there is no drama now about us being three points off top, but we want to show that we are competitive.”
There was some good news on the injury front, as Pioli revealed the return to fitness of England international Ruben Loftus-Cheek.
USA forward Christian Pulisic will be left out “as a precaution” as he recovers from a knock, but is expected to return next week for the Champions League clash with PSG.
Udinese head to San Siro looking for their first win of the season.
They sacked coach Andrea Sottil and replaced him with Gabriele Cioffi in October, and remarkably sit above the relegation zone despite their 10-match winless streak.
