Take out Max: Stefano Pioli will beat Max Allegri for the first time?

Stefano Pioli led Milan to their first title since 2011, breaking records and changing the Serie A hierarchy, but there's one thing he never achieved: beating Max Allegri.

The sting, the distress and the wondering: will the longest streak in the modern era in Italy come to an end at San Siro (19:00, Sport2)?

Tomer Yitzhak

08/10/2022

Saturday, October 8, 2022, 12:00

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Summary: Juventus - Bologna 0:3 (Sport1)

About three weeks ago, a day before the embarrassing loss to Monza that greatly undermined his position, Massimiliano Allegri attributed the problematic situation of Juventus to the plague of injuries and chose to include the ex-Milan in the equation as well.

"We have 11 players with muscle injuries, I would be happy to see how Milan or Inter would cope if they lost 5-6 team players."

In the Italian media, Allegri was reminded of how Milan won the Scudetto despite a series of injuries that sidelined several players for extended periods, and offered Stefano Pioli the opportunity to respond, but the champion's coach preferred not to create a public confrontation.

"Allegri's words don't interest me, I usually don't respond to other people's words," Pioli replied.

"I can only say that we are trying to overcome difficult times with the help of power, energy and ideas."

Pioli did find last season all the necessary ideas to overcome such a moment and lead Milan to the first championship after 11 years, since the current Juventus coach did it.

Will he also be able to find the idea that will allow him to beat Allegri tonight (Saturday, 19:00, Sport2) for the first time in his career?

An unprecedented record in Italian football.

Massimiliano Allegri in front of Stefano Pioli (Photo: GettyImages, Alessandro Sabattini)

16 times Pioli tried his luck against Max Allegri in Serie A. He lost in 11 cases and ended in another five draws.

This is the longest streak of any coach against a colleague in the era of the three points in Italy.

Apart from the league games, there was also a cup final in 2015 where Allegri's Juventus beat Lazio coached by Pioli, a Super Cup after that and another cup quarter-final the following season.

A total of 19 games in which there was mostly one winner.

And there is no coach against whom Allegri celebrated more times during his career.

"I don't like looking back," Pioli commented last season on his dismal streak against Allegri, who although he came as the favorite in most meetings (he only coached Milan and Juventus in these 12 years) but on the other hand Pioli lost not only with Chievo and Bologna, but also in his days as a coach Fiorentina, Inter and Lazio.

"The past is not counted, what is important is only the next game. There is no doubt that this is a negative statistic, one that should be changed as soon as possible."

Last season Pioli knew how to overcome all the obstacles on the way to an impressive championship, but he was unable to change the balance against Allegri.

In Turin it was Ante Ravic who equalized 1:1 after an advantage goal by Albero Morata and in the last meeting, in January at San Siro, Milan settled for a 0:0 against Juventus and lost Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the only remnant from the previous championship with Allegri.

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One championship with Allegri and one with Pioli.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Photo: Reuters)

By the way, the 41-year-old Swede has since played a total of 102 minutes, but even without him and despite some other significant shortcomings, as mentioned, Milan managed to win the title for the 19th time in its history.

Which brings us back to the current issue of injuries.

Since Allegri's monologue of complaints, the formations have turned around and now Milan's injured list is longer than that of Juventus, where players are gradually starting to return.

At the press conference ahead of the match at San Siro, Pioli was reminded again of his opponent's comment and he replied: "I wish it was only five players. But we said that in football there are moments like this and my team is prepared for that. I see a determined group that is ready to continue its journey."

12 years and 19 failed attempts.

Stefano Pioli in his days as coach of Bologna alongside Massimiliano Allegri who coached Milan at the time (Photo: GettyImages, Claudio Villa)

For Allegri, the game at San Siro is nothing less than a final.

Vice President Pavel Nadved demanded that he be fired after the sensational loss to Monza and the two have been at odds for some time, but the coach somehow survived the national team break because the management wants to avoid paying a high compensation, after which he defeated Bologna and Maccabi Haifa.

And yet, every loss of points will flood the question again, especially if it is a loss to a sworn rival like Milan that will open a gap of seven points between the teams and maybe 10 from the top.

"Milan is in a better position, they have four more points," Allegri mentioned and added a slight paragon to the coach against whom he has the most victories: "I can only congratulate Pioli for the work he did and the title he won last season."

On the other hand, Pioli's situation is much calmer.

Despite the home loss to Napoli and the treble he suffered from Chelsea in the Champions League, the 56-year-old coach is in negotiations with the Rossoneri regarding the extension of his contract, less than a year after the previous extension.

The former stopper, who spent three seasons in the Juventus uniform, has already entered the list of the 10 coaches with the most games in Milan, and towards the end of the season should also pass Allegri in the ranking (178).

He will be happy to do it after beating him for the first time in his career.

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• Stefano Pioli

• Massimiliano Allegri

• Juventus

• Milan