'I don't know why he never plays' - Ponciroli blasts AC Milan coach over treatment of Chukwueze

Respected Italian pundit Fabrizio Ponciroli has slammed AC Milan coach Stefano Pioli over his treatment of Samuel Chukwueze.

After a breakout 2022-2023 season at Spanish club Villarreal, the Nigeria international was acquired by the Rossoneri last summer for a fee that could rise to 28 million euros if bonuses are factored in.

The inverted winger had a difficult start to his career in Italy but has started to show his qualities since the middle of March, so much so that fans and pundits alike are perplexed he has yet to break into the starting lineup.

Since returning from the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, Chukwueze has started only four of the fourteen matches played by AC Milan, with manager Pioli sticking with United States star Christian Pulisic for the right wing role. 

In truth, the versatile American winger has not done badly since joining AC Milan from Chelsea with 21 goal involvements to his name, but Fabrizio Ponciroli wants Pioli to tweak his formation to accommodate Chukwueze in the starting lineup.

Speaking to TMW Radio, via Milan News, Fabrizio Ponciroli said: "I don't know what Pioli sees in Musah, there's Chukwueze in good condition and I don't know why he never plays.

"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."

Pioli's future at AC Milan is cast in doubt after the seven-time European champions were dumped out of the Europa League by AS Roma and then lost the derby to Inter Milan on Monday.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel 

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