Luca Bianchin-Alessandra Gozzini
April 20, 2024 (changed at 00:43) – MILAN
The trial of Stefano Pioli will not take place this time. The time for judgments has arrived: at the end of the season, barring any unexpected surprises today, he will conclude his Rossoneri history. No appeal, even if he were to triumph in the derby. The mood is totally different: no smile, just bitterness. The club’s disappointment at the defeat at the Olimpico in Rome led to an initial assessment: in mid-April Milan no longer had any ambitions. Not in the league – today the suffering for the Nerazzurri’s scudetto prevails over the joy of Champions qualification -, not in the Italian Cup, in the Champions League and in the Europa League, which until two days ago was the only goal. Milan wants to win again or at least compete to do so until the end: this time, more than a month early, they left the field to their opponents. It is not acceptable for the club and for Cardinale (expected at the derby but developments have taken away the certainty of his presence). Hence the need to change course: starting a new season with Pioli would mean reopening the processes at the first misstep. Pioli will conclude his Rossoneri experience in the summer: after the final evaluations, the final choices will be announced. Meanwhile, the study phase of the new coach has already largely begun.
the candidates
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Milan is looking for an international coach, with a recognizable game, good at working with young people, in line with the club’s project: ambition but also sustainability and twenty-year-olds to grow. The managers have already moved in recent months to obtain information on two candidates: Julen Lopetegui, now out of action after his experience at Wolverhampton, and Paulo Fonseca, formerly of Roma, now at Lille. There were dialogues, by telephone and beyond. With Lopetegui, also very recent. Furthermore, Christophe Galtier, now at Al-Duhail (Qatar) after his experience at PSG, and Marcelo Gallardo, a River legend now at Al-Ittihad (Arabia), should not be overlooked: they are appreciated. The four candidates, two more than the others, remain in the minds of Giorgio Furlani and Geoffrey Moncada, who guided Milan’s choices in the last year and are still the men of reference.
the key
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However, Ibrahimovic has Cardinale’s total trust and the final decision will pass from him. The comparison with Furlani and Moncada will be fundamental, considering that Ibra has always said he wants to see (and therefore rebuild) a great Milan, worthy of its noble past. Will he give his total approval to Lopetegui or Fonseca? Of course, focusing on a coach with a heavy CV is difficult because many are busy and some are at odds with the corporate logic that envisages a young Milan. Furthermore, today there are more attractive championships than Serie A. And speaking of big names, Antonio Conte is not a concrete option at the moment. Conte is very attracted to Milan but for now the club is oriented towards different profiles, probably considering that the coach in the past asked to work with ready players with heavy salaries and had strong disagreements with both Juventus and Inter.
the situation
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So what, Lopetegui, Fonseca or a surprise? Lopetegui is free and has made a choice some time ago: wait for Milan. He has been contacted by a Premier club that offers him a contract with … English figures, therefore not approachable by Milan, but his priority is with the red and black stripes. Fonseca is busy with Lille and on Thursday he was eliminated – like Milan – in the Conference against Aston Villa. However, his contract expires in June and there is nothing that prevents a return to Italy.
because they like them
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Lopetegui was impressed by the proposal to play with the Spanish national team and with Sevilla, with whom he won the Europa League. Fonseca is appreciated for his work and style. Galtier has won with Lille and PSG and has experience. Gallardo would be the most sensational choice: a coach who made people fall in love in South America but has never coached in Europe. All factors to consider, without forgetting that no one would have an XL salary and only Fonseca has experience (two years) in Italy. It will soon be understood, for now there is one certainty: Milan is already thinking about the post-Pioli era.
