Milan, according to Arrigo Sacchi, ‘aren’t a collective,’ and one of the reasons for this is star winger Rafael Leao.
The Rossoneri had started the season positively, but a 5-1 defeat in the Derby della Madonnina and a goalless draw in their Champions League debut against Newcastle raised concerns among fans.
Stefano Pioli’s side did bounce back with a 1-0 win over Hellas Verona on Saturday, but the coach’s patience is wearing thin as the Scudetto competition begins to take shape. Milan’s next match is on September 27th against Cagliari.
Sacchi revealed on page 32 of today’s Gazzetta dello Sport why he wasn’t feeling optimistic following Milan’s triumph against Hellas Verona and how Leao inhibits Milan’s capacity to perform as a team.
“A friend of mine called me at the end of the game and said, ‘Now you’ll be happy, Milan won.'” I said, ‘Not much’. ‘Why?’ he inquired. The explanation was simple: ‘Because I saw Milan still battling’.
“I’m not thrilled with the outcome, even though beating Verona is never easy. The issue is that Pioli’s team is still not cohesive.
“Being a collective means having eleven active players both with and without the ball, pressing, not launching, keeping the ball low to the ground, and always moving.”
“Milan must be like an accordion; they must know when to start and when to stop.” Contrary to popular belief, the collective enhances talent, not detracts from it.
“However, if there is no collective, that is, no team game, talent alone is of little use.” This is a lesson that everyone should learn, but I see that few have in Italy.
“The derby defeat, which was so blatant, undoubtedly caused some environmental issues.” That is typical. How are we going to get out of this? With work, training, and effort. As long as everyone gives their all and puts their soul into their work.
“And now we come to the second most important question: how are the Milan players?” Are they relevant to the coach’s project? I hope so, and I hope Pioli chose them based on their technical and human qualities.
“It is critical to know the players as people first and foremost, because you know exactly what they can give you.” When I came in Milan, I requested transfers for individuals who didn’t fit into my views of how to play or who didn’t respect standard professional behavior.
“The club was exceptional with me: they accommodated me in everything, helped me, and supported me.” The same must happen with Pioli now, because the coach needs time to assemble the team, and with so many new faces, patience is required.
“You can’t obtain everything at once. A learning time and a break-in period are required. Milan, I’ve seen, still lacks the appropriate balance. I’d seen it before in the
where they were taken aback by Inter’s attitude and lacked the strength to respond”Even against Verona, they showed a number of faults. In the non-possession phase, the attackers do not track back; when the defenders have the ball, they throw long balls, making it unclear what type of move they plan to build up.
“There appears to be some confusion, and it is up to Pioli to bring order, to give precise lines, to demonstrate that he is the first to believe in the ideas he proposes to his boys.” Leao scored a wonderful goal, but Milan exists today mostly for the Portuguese winger, and this is a limitation.
“Leao’s way of being on the pitch, his lack of tracking back, his lack of participation in the group’s work, is what prevents you from becoming a collective.”
“If you want to make a qualitative leap, toward a more European football, it is critical that everyone is functional to the project and knows how to sacrifice themselves in the name of the team.”
“Let’s say the Rossoneri are making an effort to improve, but there are still many steps to be taken.” A hammering like the one they had in the derby, with all that it entails, on the other hand, cannot be swallowed fast.”
Milan’s next Champions League match is against Borussia Dortmund on October 4, followed by a trip to Paris Saint-Germain three weeks later.
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