Pochettino’s AC Milan links: Addressing a 1.25 goals-conceded

Mauricio Pochettino’s interest in the AC Milan vacancy represents a high-stakes gamble for a club currently adrift in tactical identity. With the Rossoneri closing their 2025/26 campaign on a dismal run—securing just two wins in their final eight Serie A fixtures—the margin for error is non-existent. Pochettino, known for his high-intensity pressing structures, faces a squad that has shown alarming fragility in transition and a chronic inability to maintain defensive discipline. The appointment would signal a desperate shift toward structural rigor for a side that has leaked goals with alarming frequency throughout the spring.

The team he inherits

The statistical profile of AC Milan’s final eight matches paints a picture of a team in freefall. Over this stretch, the Rossoneri managed a meager 2-1-5 record, culminating in a frustrating 1-2 home defeat to Cagliari on May 24. The defensive metrics are particularly damning; in those eight games, Milan conceded 13 goals, an average of 1.62 goals per match. This defensive collapse was punctuated by a 0-3 shutout against Udinese on April 11 and a 0-2 loss to Sassuolo on May 3, where the side failed to register a goal against bottom-half opposition.

While the attacking output showed flashes of life—notably in the 2-1 win over Genoa on May 17—the consistency is absent. The 2-3 loss to Atalanta on May 10 highlighted a recurring theme: the team’s inability to manage game states. Even when they controlled possession, their defensive transition remained porous. The 0-0 draw against Juventus on April 26 stands as the only clean sheet in this eight-game sample, a statistic that underscores the lack of a reliable defensive floor. For a club with Milan’s pedigree, finishing the season with a negative goal difference across these final fixtures is an indictment of the current tactical setup.

Tactical fit (or misfit)

Pochettino’s arrival would necessitate an immediate overhaul of Milan’s defensive spacing. The current squad has struggled to protect the half-spaces, a vulnerability ruthlessly exploited by Atalanta and Cagliari. Under the previous regime, the team often left the backline exposed during attacking phases, leading to the high number of shots conceded on the counter. Pochettino typically utilizes a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 that relies on verticality, but his success hinges on the double-pivot’s ability to screen the center-backs. Milan’s current midfield personnel have shown a tendency to drift too far forward, leaving the defensive line isolated against pacey attackers.

Furthermore, the set-piece organization has been porous. The goals conceded against Cagliari and Atalanta were symptomatic of a team lacking clear zonal marking triggers. Pochettino’s preference for aggressive, high-line pressing could actually alleviate some of this pressure by pinning opponents back, but it requires a level of physical conditioning that the current squad has failed to demonstrate in the final months of the season. The transition from a passive, reactive shape to Pochettino’s high-octane, front-foot system will require a significant psychological shift from a group that appeared mentally exhausted by the time they faced Napoli on April 6.

What success looks like

For Pochettino, the immediate benchmark is stabilizing the defensive output. Reducing the goals-conceded average from 1.62 per game to under 1.0 is the primary objective for the first 10 matches of the new season. Milan’s path back to relevance requires a top-four finish, a target that necessitates a minimum points-per-game return of 2.0. Success in the upcoming campaign will be measured not just by league position, but by the implementation of a coherent pressing structure that prevents opponents from creating high-quality chances in transition. If Pochettino can restore the San Siro as a difficult venue to visit—reversing the trend of dropping points to mid-table sides like Sassuolo and Udinese—the club will have a foundation to build upon.

Can Pochettino’s high-intensity blueprint survive the tactical rigidity of Serie A, or will the defensive habits of this squad prove too entrenched to overhaul?