Stefano Pioli says USMNT star Christian Pulisic and the rest of his AC Milan squad have a “duty to get back up” following recent setbacks.
Article continues below
Article continues below
Article continues below
Rossoneri missed out on title to rivalsWill end the campaign empty-handedQuestions asked of coach's futureWHAT HAPPENED?
The Rossoneri have seen arch-rivals Inter run away with the Serie A title, with a disappointing derby defeat suffered last time out, while major silverware has fallen out of reach in 2024 after coming unstuck against domestic foes Roma in the quarter-finals of the Europa League.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesWHAT PIOLI SAID
Milan still have five games left to take in this season, starting with a trip to Juventus on Saturday, and Pioli has said of what he is looking for from those at his disposal: “It’s easy, in quotes, because we can’t stop at these disappointments that we’ve suffered and that we’ve given to our fans, so we obviously have to have the desire for redemption, to remain compact and the desire to win matches up to the end of the season. We suffer from these situations, but we have a duty to get back up. We will have to fight, give our all, as if it were our last match, be focused, determined. We want to defend second place.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Quizzed on when Milan’s campaign began to fall apart, Pioli said: “The most obvious thing was the exit from the Europa League, then that month in where we fell away from Inter. Inter are stronger, they have been more consistent, more solid. However, we were not the only ones who didn’t keep up.”
Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT?
There have been positives for Milan this season, with United States international Pulisic among them. He has posted a personal-best return of 13 goals across all competitions and is expected to have a future at San Siro despite mounting speculation suggesting that Pioli will be relieved of his managerial duties in the summer.