It won’t be a championship challenge and, looking at the standings, not even a clash for the Champions League. It’s not a derby, it’s not a direct elimination match in some cup. No, Milan Rome it’s much more.
Because the fate of Jose Mourinho e di Stefano Pioli also includes the match on Sunday evening (kick-off at 8.45pm at San Siro). In a match that, beyond all rhetoric, is not true. Worse: it’s the game of those who still have a tomorrow.
Mourinho and Pellegrini. Photo Source: Corriere dello Sport
The fate of Rome
Eighth in the standings, with the Champions League four points away, a Europa League group second behind Slavia Prague, a new elimination in the Italian Cup, moreover at the hands of Lazio, in a derby in which nothing was done to win . How can Roma’s situation be complicated? In two ways: looking at the progress report (five points in the last five games, 1 win, 2 defeats and 2 draws) but above all losing on Sunday evening against Milan.
The performance of José Mourinho’s team is clearly below expectations. We need a shock that could only come through a victory against a big team. The calendar pits the Rossoneri against each other, who dominated 2-1 in the first leg (the last, for the record, in which Chris Smalling on the pitch) and who have emerged undefeated in matches against Roma since 2019 (goal by Dzeko e Zaniolo). To get to a victory for the Giallorossi at San Siro, however, we have to get to 2017. It was the Roma of By Francesco. The last one to play in the Champions League.
It’s raining on Milan, it’s raining on Stefano Pioli. Photo Source: MilanNews24
Milan’s moment
He’s better, but only in terms of the rankings, the Milan. Eliminated from Champions League, eliminated from the Italian Cup at the hands of Atalanta, with their cousins Inter 9 points away at the top of the table. In short, even the bench creaks Pegswho this year appeared less of a leader than usual during a sort of loop, as the Gazzetta dello Sport defined it: the initial crisis, then the decisive improvement, the illusion, once again falling into the abyss.
In short, the future of the coach, near Milanello, seems sealed. The missed goals, the matches that spiral out of control, the drop in performance of key players cannot be just clues. The idea is to arrive at the end of the season, and then say goodbye. Unless something changes course. Maybe starting Sunday evening. A victory, after all, can also be a new beginning.