Stefano Pioli feels Fiorentina ‘didn’t need to be on the dropping facet’ in opposition to Milan, because the penalty is ‘encouraging gamers to proceed simulating, as a result of they realize it pays off.’
It was at all times going to be an emotional evening for Pioli, who was marking his five hundredth Serie A recreation, will have fun his sixtieth birthday tomorrow, and was given a heat welcome on his first return to San Siro by his former followers.
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Nevertheless, it was additionally a bitter night, as Robin Gosens had opened the scoring, just for Rafael Leao’s long-range effort and a highly-controversial penalty to show it throughout for the 2-1 Milan victory.
Pioli was noticed after the ultimate whistle exchanging indignant phrases with referee Livio Marinelli, as VAR was pushing the boundaries of ‘clear and apparent error’ on the Fabiano Parisi hand on Santiago Gimenez’s shoulder.
Pioli rage at decisive VAR intervention
MILAN, ITALY – OCTOBER 19: Rafael Leao of AC Milan scores his workforce’s second objective from a penalty kick in the course of the Serie A match between AC Milan and ACF Fiorentina at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on October 19, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photograph by Marco Luzzani/Getty Photos)
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“This is among the explanation why I’m so disenchanted with these outcomes. Fiorentina invested so much on this challenge, they put a lot religion in me and my work, however the outcomes usually are not coming, so we should attempt to do higher,”
“We’re not the one ones who should attempt to do higher. If we behave like this, then we encourage gamers to proceed simulating, placing their arms on their face and screaming, as a result of they realize it pays off, and they’re rewarded for it. It’s not simply within the penalty space both, they get free kicks for doing this in all places.
“Referees informed us VAR solely intervenes if there’s a clear and apparent error from the referee. So inform me if that was a transparent and apparent error from the referee…”
Fiorentina are nonetheless and not using a single victory in Serie A this season, and the stress is simply rising on the coach to show issues round after three factors from an accessible 21.
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Nonetheless, because the “solely man who can get us out of this case.”
MILAN, ITALY – OCTOBER 19: Moise Kean of Fiorentina is challenged by Luka Modric of AC Milan in the course of the Serie A match between AC Milan and ACF Fiorentina at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on October 19, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photograph by Marco Luzzani/Getty Photos)
The coach was requested about his tactical selections, packing the midfield to neutralise Milan, even when it left Moise Kean somewhat remoted.
“Moise began to really feel ache in his ankle, he did what he wanted to do, then Piccoli might deliver us extra vitality. We created extra with Nicolussi Caviglia, transferring Fagioli and Mandragora into extra superior positions. We might’ve had extra vertical passes, however the efficiency was there, we conceded the equaliser when all the way down to 10 males because of an damage after which that penalty.
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“I don’t really feel that we deserved to be on the dropping facet this night.”
When Pioli was requested by former Fiorentina striker Luca Toni within the studio why the workforce struggled to react when going behind, the coach misplaced his mood.
“Do you watch these video games or not? Do you simply verify the outcomes? Milan had one shot on objective, the efficiency was there all through in opposition to a workforce that’s now high of the desk. I realise we’re backside of the desk and I take accountability, nevertheless it’s not true that you’re a nice facet if you happen to win and a horrible one if you happen to lose.
“It is a workforce that believes within the work, is giving its all and there aren’t any issues within the locker room. The outcomes are going in opposition to us, that’s all.”
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Fiorentina had been all the way down to 10 males when Leao scored as a result of Ranieri was getting remedy for a nosebleed.
“I assumed he was prepared to come back again on, I don’t know in the event that they had been ready for the referee to offer the all clear, or if he nonetheless had some blood. It’s simply one other instance of issues not going our method,” concluded Pioli.