After a chaotic and disappointing season, no stone should be left unturned at ac milan. The Team Faces A Fire Sale, and Those in Charge Face The Sack.
It wasn’t that long ago that the two Milan clubs met in a memorable city derby in the Champions League semi-final, in the same year AC won the Serie A championship. After that, however, the two rivals took quite different paths.
Because two years later, the sporting difference is huge. Inter is in the final of the premier class and still has a chance of winning the Scudetto in a dramatic duel – AC, meanwhile, is sinking into mediocrity and is at a “crossroads”, as the sports newspaper Corriere dello sport wrote.
AC MILAN IS AT A CROSSRAADS AND FACING UPHEAVAL
The Rossoneri are facing a season without participation in international competition. In the league, the worst placement in the last ten years is looming. One matchday before the end, Milan is in ninth place. Only in the 2014/15 season (tenth place) were they worse.
“Nothing more to hold on to”
The more than disappointing season should have been saved in the Coppa Italia. But the AC also went away empty-handed in the Italian Cup. In the cup final, the Milanese failed against Bologna. Also in the Champions League, they disappointingly flew out of the competition in the play-offs against underdog Feyenoord. A major upheaval is therefore imminent in the summer, which even a cup win probably would not have prevented.
“Now there really is nothing more to hold on to,” wrote the Gazzetta Dello Sport, which also reported on a fire sale in the upcoming transfer window.
Leao, Hernández and Co. Before Departure
In the Milan squad, which is peppered with stars, there is not a single player who is not for sale. Superstar and dribbling artist Rafael Leao is allowed to leave the club, Theo Hernández is even said to be on the sidelines after a weak season.
Captain and France’s number one, Mike Maignan, should also be sold in the summer if he does not want to extend his contract, which expires in 2026. German international Malick Thiaw is also involved. Either he or central defender colleague Fikayo Tomari should go.
European top clubs will now certainly take a very close look at Milan, because the individual class of the individual artists remains undisputed. Only as a team have the Rossoneri not been able to bring their quality to the pitch this season.
Tabula Rasa: “Ibra so ends up in court”
The upheaval does not stop at the player level. A restructuring of the management positions is also on the cards, club owner Gerry Cardinale really wants to turn every stone. Clean slate!
Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who is under criticism in the course of the downward trend, is also threatened with the end. The 43-year-old works as an advisor to the club. “Milan in the dark, doubts about Ibrahimovic,” headlined Corriere dello sport. “Ibra also ends up in court,” added the Gazzetta.
The winter transfers, for which the Swede was jointly responsible, are decisive for this. Joao Felix (20 appearances, two goals) and Santiago Gimenez (19, six) in particular are under criticism.
Ibrahimovic introduced the Portuguese as a “magical player”, Gimenez as a “killer in the penalty area”. Although their statistics were not completely catastrophic, both fell short of expectations.
Change of Coach Remained Ineffective
The change of coach from Paulo Fonseca to Sergio Conceicao at the end of the year also remained ineffective. Fonseca (1.75 points per game) even scored more points on average than his successor (1.67). Changes on the coaching bench are therefore also conceivable in the summer.
“Everyone has to evaluate their work, I am very demanding of myself, I will evaluate everything I have done,” Conceicao himself explained after the league defeat against Roma, which finally sealed the end for the European Cup places. But he also emphasized successes under his leadership: “This season was anything but perfect, but there were also positive moments. We won the Italian Super Cup and reached the Coppa Italia final.”
“I don’t want to look for excuses”
Despite the upcoming season finale next weekend, he may have been on the AC’s coaching bench for the last time. Because he will not be there against Monza due to a suspension. He saw the red card against Rom in added time because he had vehemently complained to the referee.
“I don’t want to look for excuses. Football is my passion, and it hurts deeply not to be able to be on the sidelines with my players,” he was annoyed about the dismissal and let perseverance slogans sound. We have to accept this tough season and stay strong together.”
‘Together’ is probably the wrong term in this context. Because both the players and the club officials as well as the coach himself will in all probability no longer fight together for the Rossoneri in the coming season.