Italian pundit Fabrizio Ponciroli has criticized AC Milan manager Stefano Pioli for his handling of Nigerian international Samuel Chukwueze.
Chukwueze joined AC Milan from Villarreal last summer in a deal potentially worth 28 million euros. While he initially struggled to adapt to Serie A, the winger has begun to showcase his talents since mid-last month.
Despite this improvement, Chukwueze has been largely sidelined, starting in only four out of the 14 matches played by AC Milan since the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations concluded. Instead, Pioli has favored Christian Pulisic in the right-wing role.
Ponciroli expressed his discontent with Pioli’s decisions, particularly his preference for Pulisic over Chukwueze. He called for a revision of the team’s formation to include Chukwueze in the starting lineup.
“I don’t know what Pioli sees in Musah; there’s Chukwueze in good condition, and I don’t know why he never plays,” Ponciroli stated. “I think Pioli has lost control of the situation. He was certainly convinced of these choices. It’s true that talking about them later is easier, but from before, I already considered these choices to be wrong.”
Fans of AC Milan, eager to see Chukwueze in action, share Ponciroli’s sentiments and hope for a change in the team’s strategy to utilize the Nigerian winger’s talents more effectively.
