The Archive

February 2022

Kessie absent from training
4.2 || webmaster

Franck Kessie was absent from squad training today ahead of Milan’s derby against Inter this weekend.

The 25-year-old Ivorian midfielder’s adventure in the Africa Cup of Nations ended on Wednesday this week after Egypt won the Round of 16 clash. The player had the cane to stay in Africa for a few days to rest and relax, and he was expected to return to Milan last night.

Read the rest on Football Italia.

Milan sweat over Ibrahimovic fitness ahead of derby
4.2 || webmaster

According to multiple reports in Italy, Zlatan Ibrahimovic could miss Saturday’s derby clash against Inter as he still feels pain at his tendon.

The Swede was forced off the pitch in the Rossoneri’s last match before the break against Juventus on January 23.

Read the rest on Football Italia.

Botman's agent hints at summer AC Milan move
4.2 || webmaster

Sven Botman’s agent Nikkie Bruinenberg has confirmed Milan’s interest and hinted at a summer move.

The Rossoneri tried hard to sign the 22-year-old Dutch centre back in this month’s transfer window but Lille refused to sell half-way through the season. The Rossoneri are keeping the track alive ahead of the summer transfer window, and the player’s agent has now further provided a clue about the player’s future.

Read the rest on Football Italia.

Serie A Title Race: Can Milan beat Inter and Napoli to the title?
4.2 || webmaster

AC Milan headed into January's international break on a run of two consecutive Serie A matches without winning, including a lacklustre 'nil-nil' draw with Juventus last time out.

But a stalemate with arch-rivals was not as nearly as hurting as a dreadful 2-1 defeat to Spezia at San Siro on Matchday 22, throwing the Rossoneri's title hopes into doubt.

Head coach Stefano Pioli has had extra two weeks to piece together his side's comeback and find a way to defeat pacesetters Inter Milan in the upcoming showdown.

Indeed, Milan's mouth-watering clash against the reigning Italian champions could prove vital to their hopes of winning their first league title since 2010/11.

Derby della Madonnina is key

If Milan are to return in contention for the title, they need to end their two-game winless league streak against Inter in the famous Derby della Madonnina, that is just around the corner. The Milan derby is usually one of the most in-demand matches on soccer streams during the regular season, but this game is likely to be more important due to the title race implications.

Sitting four points adrift of fierce rivals, who also boast a game in hand, the Rossoneri must be aware a failed attempt to capture all three points could prove detrimental to their title ambitions.

Unfortunately for Pioli's side, headline performers Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Franck Kessie could be set to miss the blockbuster encounter due to injuries.

As per La Gazzetta dello Sport (via MilanNews), the Swedish superstar is unlikely to be handed a start against Inter on Saturday, with Olivier Giroud emerging as the likeliest candidate to lead the line.

The absence of the two invaluable first-team members would inflict a massive blow on Pioli's squad selection, leaving Milan exposed in both midfield and attack.

If that is not enough for concern, Inter will have everyone barring Joaquin Correa fit and firing, with the Argentine forward ruled out for a month with a hamstring problem.

Inter show no signs of stopping

No longer in charge of their own destiny, Milan have to wait for league-leaders Inter to make an error, which looks a bit unrealistic at this point.

Even without the likes of Romelu Lukaku and Achraf Hakimi, who departed for Chelsea and PSG, respectively, the reigning champions, one of the most impressive teams in football today, have been nothing short of exceptional this season.

Simone Inzaghi has turned the Nerazzurri into a force to be reckoned with despite the vital ingredients of Antonio Conte's title-winning squad leaving Meazza in the summer.

Inter have only lost one of their 22 Serie A games so far (W16, D5), netting a league-high 53 goals in the process while they boast the division's second-best defensive record on top of that.

In fact, they are the only side in Italy's top-flight to have smashed a 50-goal barrier in Serie A this season, highlighting Inzaghi’s attacking-minded philosophy.

Napoli not too much of a threat or are they?

With all due respect to Luciano Spalletti's splendid work at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium, Napoli's recurring consistency issues cast doubt on their title credentials.

That is what the San Siro faithful would have hoped for, but as per the latest Serie A news, the southern giants appear to be rediscovering their mojo as we approach the crunch period of the campaign.

Following an eye-catching start to the season, the Partenopei have momentarily run out of steam, delivering a mixed bag of performances in the recent period.

However, with standout striker Victor Osimhen returning to the fold following a two-month hiatus due to head trauma, Napoli's efforts to land their first Serie A crown since 1989/90 will receive a boost.

Spalletti's men have strung together three consecutive league wins to leapfrog Milan to second in the Serie A standings, courtesy of superior H2H record.

Lack of efforts in the transfer market

When you look at Juventus’s mega-money acquisition of rising star Dusan Vlahovic frm Fiorentina, you wonder what did Milan do to improve their title bid.

The Rossoneri have lost defensive stalwart Simon Kjaer for the remainder of the season to injury, while another first-choice defender Fikayo Tomori is dealing with a physical setback of his own.

However, despite continuous links with a host of centre-backs in the past couple of weeks, the seven-time European champions failed to address their glaring defensive issue in the recently completed transfer window

Paolo Maldini and his recruitment team have brought in Red Star prodigious forward Marko Lazetic on a long-term deal, but he is unlikely to grow into a permanent first-team fixture this season.

After failing to land a single defensive addition in January, Milan’s hopes of challenging in the Scudetto race have dropped, as they will have to rely on relatively inexperienced Pierre Kalulu and Matteo Gabbia to shoulder the burden at the back.