The status of Stefano Pioli’s tenure at AC Milan remains uncertain as the seven-time European champions gear up for the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final against Roma on Thursday.
Stefano Pioli’s future at AC Milan hangs in the balance as the seven-time European champions gear up for their Europa League quarter-final against Roma on Thursday. With their Serie A title hopes dashed and an early Champions League exit, these upcoming matches mark a pivotal point in Milan’s season.
Pioli, facing more scrutiny than ever this term, previously survived a potential replacement by Ralf Rangnick in 2020 due to a remarkable resurgence. Despite guiding Milan to the Serie A title two years later, Pioli has fallen out of favor with fans for failing to keep pace with Napoli and Inter. A string of Milan derby losses and the looming prospect of conceding the Scudetto to Inter further complicates Pioli’s position.
Additionally, there’s a sense that Milan has been surpassed by Inter in European competitions. A deep run in the Europa League, a trophy Milan has never won, could salvage what has been a largely disappointing season. Milan’s recent winning streak and likely second-place finish in Serie A offer some optimism amid the uncertainty surrounding Pioli’s future.
De Rossi riding high
Pioli will welcome back Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was suspended for the recent easy win against Lecce. Loftus-Cheek has been in exceptional form in 2024, scoring nine goals since the beginning of the year from his advanced midfield role. Four of these goals came in the previous Europa League knockout rounds against Rennes and Slavia Prague, both of which were comfortably won by Milan.
The key decision for Pioli is who to partner with Matteo Gabbia in central defense, as Fikayo Tomori is suspended. Simon Kjaer is the favorite over Malick Thiaw, who is returning from injury.
While Milan has already defeated Roma twice this season, the situation is different now with Jose Mourinho no longer in charge. Roma, led by Daniele De Rossi, head into Thursday’s match at the San Siro with confidence after winning the Rome derby and keeping their Champions League hopes alive.
This match will test how much Roma has evolved under De Rossi, especially after their last defeat to Milan in January led to Mourinho’s departure. Since then, Roma has lost only two out of 15 matches, demonstrating significant improvement under De Rossi’s leadership.
De Rossi’s future at Roma is uncertain, as he was initially hired only until the end of the season. However, a strong performance in this tie could potentially earn him the job on a permanent basis, given the positive atmosphere surrounding the club with their former captain at the helm.