Contract clauses prove Pioli always believed in the Champions League

Stefano Pioli has always believed that AC Milan could go far in the Champions League and now he could well get a bonus for the club’s European exploits, a report claims.

This morning’s edition of La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that Pioli has maintained a desire and a confidence that Milan could get to the Champions League final and maybe even having a chance of winning.

Back on October 31 – when Pioli renewed his contract until 2025 – one of the many clauses included was a rich prize in the event of a European triumph. Modern contracts are divided into many items that include bonuses linked to personal and team performance, so much so that it is now a widespread practice.

Some of these are easily achievable goals but others are more difficult and stimulating, which is where Pioli’s belief in the European climb comes into the equation. It was he and his staff who wanted to include an economic award linked to success in the Champions League.

He could earn around €300k more if Milan were to establish itself as the leading team on the continent, to which the previous prizes linked to qualification should be added for a total of almost half a million.

Of course what he would gain in esteem, affection and gratitude means more, but when Pioli sat on the Rossoneri bench for the first time in October 2019, Milan were trying hard to climb back to the top of the table.

The international reputation was reduced to a minimum, the team were excluded from participating in the Europa League due to a breach of Financial Fair Play rules and the feeling was that the club were near rock bottom, but since then it has been a near constant upward trajectory.

After the Scudetto win Pioli earned his renewal until June 2025, with his salary increased to €4.5m net per season plus bonuses, the most lucrative of which is for winning the Champions League and is not as unlikely as it was last October.