Pioli: ‘VAR is encouraging players to simulate’ after AC Milan penalty

Stefano Pioli feels Fiorentina ‘did not deserve to be on the losing side’ against Milan, as the penalty is ‘encouraging players to continue simulating, because they know it pays off.’

It was always going to be an emotional night for Pioli, who was marking his 500th Serie A game, will celebrate his 60th birthday tomorrow, and was given a warm welcome on his first return to San Siro by his former fans.

However, it was also a bitter evening, as Robin Gosens had opened the scoring, only for Rafael Leao’s long-range effort and a highly-controversial penalty to turn it all around for the 2-1 Milan victory.

Pioli was spotted after the final whistle exchanging angry words with referee Livio Marinelli, as VAR was pushing the limits of ‘clear and obvious error’ on the Fabiano Parisi hand on Santiago Gimenez’s shoulder.

“This is one of the reasons why I am so disappointed with these results. Fiorentina invested a lot in this project, they put so much faith in me and my work, but the results are not coming, so we must try to do better,” Pioli told DAZN.

“We are not the only ones who must try to do better. If we behave like this, then we encourage players to continue simulating, putting their hands on their face and screaming, because they know it pays off, and they are rewarded for it. It’s not just in the penalty area either, they get free kicks for doing this everywhere.

“Referees told us VAR only intervenes if there is a clear and obvious error from the referee. So tell me if that was a clear and obvious error from the referee…”

Fiorentina are still without a single victory in Serie A this season, and the pressure is only growing on the coach to turn things around after three points from an available 21.

Nonetheless, director Daniele Pradè was adamant in his backing of Pioli as the “only man who can get us out of this situation.”

The coach was asked about his tactical decisions, packing the midfield to neutralise Milan, even when it left Moise Kean a little isolated.

“Moise started to feel pain in his ankle, he did what he needed to do, then Piccoli could bring us more energy. We created more with Nicolussi Caviglia, moving Fagioli and Mandragora into more advanced positions. We could’ve had more vertical passes, but the performance was there, we conceded the equaliser when down to 10 men due to an injury and then that penalty.

“I don’t feel that we deserved to be on the losing side this evening.”

When Pioli was asked by former Fiorentina striker Luca Toni in the studio why the team struggled to react when going behind, the coach lost his temper.

“Do you watch these games or not? Do you just check the results? Milan had one shot on goal, the performance was there throughout against a team that is now top of the table. I realise we are bottom of the table and I take responsibility, but it’s not true that you are a great side if you win and a terrible one if you lose.

“This is a team that believes in the work, is giving its all and there are no problems in the locker room. The results are going against us, that is all.”

Fiorentina were down to 10 men when Leao scored because Ranieri was getting treatment for a nosebleed.

“I thought he was ready to come back on, I don’t know if they were waiting for the referee to give the all clear, or if he still had some blood. It’s just another example of things not going our way,” concluded Pioli.