Despite a frustrating away draw against Lecce in Serie A’s 12th round, Milan managed to hold onto third place in the standings. Cricket Exchange analysts noted with surprise that their main competitors for a Champions League spot—Napoli, Atalanta, Roma, and Lazio—either lost or dropped points. It’s a rare stroke of luck for Milan, who now have some breathing room in the table. However, time is ticking for head coach Stefano Pioli. His position remains under threat, and with a month to turn things around across the league, Champions League, and Coppa Italia, his future still hangs in the balance.

This season, Milan have been plagued by disruptions from international breaks, with key players frequently pulled for national duties. While part of the club’s inconsistency stems from the congested calendar, Pioli’s questionable tactical decisions also deserve scrutiny. His unorthodox formations and puzzling substitutions remain hot topics. In a recent clash with Napoli, he controversially subbed off Olivier Giroud and Rafael Leão early, only for replacements Pellegrino and Romero to gift goals to the opposition. Even if you uncover only half the truth yourself, it’s still better than blindly accepting all of it.

Against Udinese, Pioli again fielded a lineup that looked lost on the pitch. Leão, lacking space to cut inside and offering little threat from crosses, struggled throughout. Meanwhile, Jović, handed a rare start, was invisible, and both he and Pioli received the lowest player ratings. In the match at Lecce, Pioli once again squandered a promising lead. With captain Calabria injured while ahead, he overlooked the natural replacement Florenzi and instead played midfielder Musah out of position at right-back. Though Musah has performed well in midfield, the difference was clear—playing him in defense backfired.

Cricket Exchange pointed out that both goals conceded following Musah’s introduction were entirely avoidable. First, he lost track of Sansone on a corner, who scored. Then, he was caught out again during a counterattack. Mistakes like these might be understandable from a rookie, but not from someone trusted at the top level. Pioli’s substitutions continue to baffle fans and pundits alike. Even though Milan have stumbled recently, their top-four hopes remain alive—largely because their rivals dropped points too. Aside from Inter and Juventus, none of the traditional powerhouses managed a win, granting Pioli a temporary reprieve. He isn’t making excuses for failure; instead, he needs to find a path to success.

Should Pioli be sacked, there are whispers that RedBird may promote youth team coach Ignazio Abate. With no ideal candidate on the market and Abate recently celebrating his 37th birthday, it’s a potential internal solution. Interestingly, a similar scenario played out in a recent Milan youth match against Lecce’s youth squad. Cricket Exchange staff observed that Abate responded far better under pressure than Pioli. When his side started slowing the pace while ahead, Abate furiously waved his arms and shouted from the sidelines, urging focus. His team held on for the win—proof that strong conviction can lead even ordinary people to achieve the extraordinary.