Milan, Ibrahimovic and Giroud together only 116 ‘on the pitch. Pioli is not convinced

At the beginning of the season it seemed an intriguing hypothesis. “Ibra and Giroud together, why not?”. After all, two have won more than 40 titles, scored almost 900 goals, traveled around Europe and washed dozens of goalkeepers. Nothing to do, however, Pioli does not believe it, perhaps he never will, also because the numbers say that the “Ibroud” – that is the two strikers together – has seen the light only five times in the season: 5 ‘with Verona, half ‘now in Bologna, 34’ in Florence, 27 ‘with Napoli and another 20’ with Spezia.

Together never

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Total: 116 minutes together, excluding recoveries. A match and little more. Too little to think about a change of form or a change of direction for the match against Turin on Sunday, 4-4-2 with Ibra and Giroud in front. “The two of them together? No, otherwise it becomes all a ball thrown in the middle at random ”. These are the words of the Rossoneri coach after the 0-0 against Bologna last Sunday at San Siro. The two strikers, up to now, have never played together since the beginning. Between the championship and the cups they have changed over a dozen times, a classic relay already predicted at the beginning of the year, but without stinging. In the five occasions in which Pioli has launched the Ibroud there have been three defeats (Fiorentina, Naples, Spezia) and two victories (Verona, Bologna). Ibra hasn’t played in the starting lineup since January, Milan-Spezia 1-2.

Race in progress

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Ibra, with Olivier on the pitch next to him, scored one goal for the rossoblù and two for the Viola, becoming the oldest player to have scored a brace in Serie A (40 years and 48 days). Injuries hit both strikers at different times, another reason why the tandem has seen the light a few times. Since January, however, the Rossoneri’s attack has passed on the shoulders of the Frenchman, who carries the weight of the 9 as Atlante did with the world. So far he has scored 11 goals in 30 games. Sometimes it’s okay – two goals against Inter, decisive goal against Napoli, assists against Cagliari -, other times it’s not. Last Sunday we needed a goal, but Pioli preferred not to risk. At 71 ‘outside Giroud and inside Ibra: “The defense of Bologna was too tight, I preferred to keep Leao inside to give more space”. So the conclusion is simple: “Ibroud” is a race-in-progress idea, in an emergency, but never a first-minute option. The numbers say so, Pioli reiterated.