The return of a great legend? AC Milan could be coached by the Ballon d’Or winner, but there is another possibility

AC Milan are struggling. They are last in their group in the Champions League, third in Serie A, but six points behind Inter. The Rossoneri have won only two of their last eight games, and they have not been performing well since the start of the season. What to do about it?

In 2021, Stefano Pioli led AC Milan to the coveted title after many years, but a lot has changed since then. Zlatan Ibrahimovic has retired and Paolo Maldini is no longer in charge. You could almost say that the Italian coach has been abandoned by his two right-hand men.

Now the Rossoneri are struggling not only in the league but also in the Champions League. They have won only two of their last eight games. Yes, we can talk about a tough draw, but it’s not an ideal situation. Milan have beaten Fiorentina once and PSG once, and last time they fell short against Dortmund.

While AC Milan reached the Champions League quarter-finals last season, they are now in danger of not having to play in Europe at all this spring. In addition to the results, the fans are also not happy with the game they are showing and Pioli is under a lot of pressure.

So for several weeks now, there have been discussions in Italy about whether the famous club should start looking for a replacement for the Italian strategist. Even the first names of possible successors to Pioli are already being dropped in the media.

Will a club legend return to AC Milan?

The engagement at AC Milan is the longest and best of Stefano Pioli’s coaching career so far. He has never coached a hundred competitive matches, while he has already managed the Rossoneri in more than 200 games. Moreover, the Italian championship is his only trophy.

But his most successful career may be coming to an end. The club’s management is still behind him, but according to Tuttomercatoweb, that may soon change.

One of the names being speculated to replace Pioli is the legendary Andriy Shevchenko, a man who shone as a goalscorer at the club and even won the Ballon d’Or. He has experience of coaching the Ukrainian national team, most recently managing Genoa. He is now out of a job as of January 2022.

His big advantage should be the fact that he is only willing to sign a contract until the end of the season, accepting a position that would not provide him with any long-term stability. AC Milan, however, reportedly prefer a different option.

The other option is in fact Ignazio Abate. The former captain and club legend is now coaching the Under-19 team, so he would get an attractive promotion and could gain experience.

Source: Tuttomercatoweb, Transfermarkt