This match features two extremes for the opposing managers. Pioli will be presented only his second Serie A Coach of the Month award since joining Milan ahead of this match. Meanwhile, Mihajlović was just re-hospitalized due to the return of his leukemia and is now possibly fighting for his life once again. That is the backdrop for the first place team hosting the 12th place team at a San Siro that will be open to 100% capacity (albeit a Monday night) for the first time in over two years. A backdrop that may actually overshadow the game, a bit of a Monday night melodrama.
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| Looking forward to another reunion |
Former Milan coach and father figure Sinisa Mihajlović announced last week that he would be returning to the hospital this week due to symptoms that indicated his leukemia had returned. Tragically, we are the first club to face his side in his absence, making it that much more of a bitter pill to swallow. He addressed his team from his hospital room this week, asking them to fight for him. Giving them a cause is always dangerous.
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| Respect of old friends |
Before his change in health status and before the break, Bologna lost 1-0 to Atalanta, conceding a late goal. For that match, Mihajlović lined up Skorupski; Soumaoro, Medel, Theate; De Silvestri, Schouten, Svanberg, Hickey; Orsolini, Soriano; and Arnautović. De Silvestri was injured over the break, he will miss this one, as will Dominguez and Kingsley, with Soriano a doubt to start.
Pioli has shown he is more than worthy of coach of the month. In fact, he missed out on the Panchina d'Oro (Golden bench award) to Conte by only one vote, despite having done so much more with so much less (and getting paid one-sixth of the salary.) His injury list has finally been pared down to Kjaer (who is absent in body only, his spirit is still with the team,) and Bakayoko, whose fitness will be evaluated for this match.
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| An award he has been overlooked for so many other times |
Mihajlović is a warrior, and I have a special fondness for him after he coached Milan, so I truly do wish him a full recovery and all the best. However, since he is a warrior, he will understand Milan's need to take all three points from this match to stay top of the table and continue to fight for the Scudetto. I am sure he would wish the same if the situation was reversed. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Milan have eight games to prove that Pioli deserves all of the accolades and more. More than 65,000 fans will be in attendance to witness this Monday night melodrama.
This post inspired by the music of Muse's Stockholm Syndrome