Tough evalutions on the cards [Bonus article]

How many lives does Stefano Pioli have? It feels like the umpteenth time that Milan are in a crisis under his reign, with the fans asking for his exit. And just like the last few times, tough evaluations are on the cards which - by the way - do not rule out a sacking before the end of the season even if it remains unlikely.

There are numerous reasons why Pioli could stay until the end of the season, but it’s also true that the Milan management are keeping a close eye on the performances and above all the results. Tonight’s draw against Lecce is yet another failure not just to claim all three points, but also to defend a pretty secure lead in the second half.

Questions are rightfully being asked by the fans, and those calling for the sacking of Pioli are not wrong either. The problem that Milan face now is that Gerry Cardinale, with Giorgio Furlani at the helm of the operations, has made it known on more than one occasion that this project deserves time to grow into something big. Patience is key, in other words.

So when does that patience actually run out? When do you need to pull the plug? These are tough questions in Milan’s case. You can discuss the inabilities of Pioli all you want, but the reality is that to sack him today, a month or three months from now, a proper replacement must be found. And that market is looking rather bleak right now. So, what is the Rossoneri’s stance and what does it hinge on?