MILAN’S EUROPA LEAGUE EXIT COULD SEAL STEFANO PIOLI’S FATE

If Serie A giants Milan exit the Europa League on Thursday, Stefano Pioli’s fate as the manager will be sealed and the cycle under the Italian would end.

Luca Bianchin has reported that with Roma 1-0 up in the Europa League quarter-finals, the Rossoneri have to roll up their sleeves in the second leg. If Pioli wants to stay at the club, his side have to go past Daniele de Rossi’s men. Pioli has already told his players about the belief that he has in them last Thursday.

If Pioli can’t turn it around, Zlatan Ibrahimovic will have a prominent say on who the club’s next manager will be. Giorgio Furlani and Geoffrey Moncada will also have a say in the matter, having come closer to Ibrahimovic in recent weeks.

The Swede is not someone who settles for trophyless seasons and that is what he wants Pioli to achieve this season, with the former striker very much having earned the trust of RedBird owner Gerry Cardinale.