Pioli tips Divock Origi to make his first Milan start at Sampdoria
Origi left Liverpool as a free player after his contract expired and signed a four-year deal with Milan. The 27-year-old striker scored 41 goals in 176 appearances for the Reds and was among the key players in their Champions League-winning squad.
However, due to fierce competition at
Milan, the Belgian striker has made just three substitute appearances in the league, being behind
Rafael Leao, Junior Messias, and Olivier Giroud in
Stefano Pioli’s pecking order.
However, Pioli hinted that
Divock Origicould make his first Serie A start against
Sampdoriaon Saturday. He told his pre-match conference being asked whether the
Belgianwould be involved more regularly:
"I think so, because he is better and has had time to pick up the pace.
"We have various solutions. Charles [De Ketelaere] is doing everything I am asking of him, he is inserting himself more and more and better and better, I am happy with his performance.
"Brahim [Diaz] has certain characteristics to give us numerical superiority. It is inevitable that you always ask me about who does not play, but I always choose based on the game.
"We have to play with energy for 95 minutes. At the end of the game we must have no more energy."
After ending their 11-year wait for
the Scudettolast season, Milan empowered their squad in the summer by bringing in the likes of Origi,
De Ketelaere, and Sergino Dest as Pioli highlights the need for competition in every position.
"
I don't like the term turnover. It's not only the first 11 who are chosen,
" he added.
"I know that I have strong players, a very specific identity and I am sure that everyone, when called upon, will give their all.
"Tomorrow I will field what, in my opinion, is the best formation: I go ahead for what I see and for what I feel. It is not that if I rotate, I do it as a bias. I put players on the field to win games."
Pioli is impressed with the character the Serie A champions have shown so far this season as Milan was forced to come from behind against
Udinese, Atalanta,
Inter, and Salzburg. He added:
"As an approach, we only made a mistake with Udinese, but it is clear that it is a fact that we want to reverse.
"Then, however, the great awareness of the team is confirmed. Despite the disadvantage, they continue to believe in themselves to change the game."
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