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November 2021
Milan sweat over Leao's fitness
23.11 || webmaster
According to Sky Sport Italia, Rafael Leao is not fully fit and could start on the bench against Atletico Madrid tomorrow.
The Portuguese winger has started Milan’s last 17 games. He trained with the rest of the team this morning but warmed up separately from the rest of the group.
Read the rest on Football Italia.
Tonali explains Milan's Champions League issues
23.11 || webmaster
Sandro Tonali believes Milan are struggling in the Champions League because they lack experience even if ‘performances were always up to the task.’
The Rossoneri visit Atletico Madrid in a key group stage game tomorrow.
Read the rest on Football Italia.
Pioli: 'Milan's last chance against Atletico'
23.11 || webmaster
Stefano Pioli explains what Milan must change to win against Atletico Madrid in their ‘last chance’ to keep their qualification hopes alive.
The Rossoneri have only collected one point in four Champions League matches.
Read the rest on Football Italia.
What do AC Milan need to do to reach the heights of European football again?
23.11 || webmaster
AC Milan returned to the competitions this season for the first time in seven years. However, there has been no fairy-tale return, and the Rossoneri have had a baptism of fire in the ‘group of death, consisting of FC Porto, Atletico Madrid and Liverpool.
The Italian giants have struggled against top-quality opposition on their return to Europe’s elite competition. From their opening three matches, they have no points, and qualification seems almost impossible. Although it hasn’t been the dream return, there are positives for the Rossoneri moving forward.
An Elite European Legacy
Milan’s first home game back in the Champions highlighted the club’s historic link with the competition.
Despite losing 3-2 to Liverpool in gameweek one, the return to the San Siro against Atletico was an emotional occasion, with some home fans in tears as the sides took to the pitch, and there was even more emotional outpour when Rafael Leão opened the scoring 20 minutes in. Milan heartbreakingly lost the game 2-1 as Luis Suarez scored a 97th-minute winner from the penalty spot.
Milan have fond memories of the European Cup, and they have won the competition seven times. Their first victory win came in 1963, and the club were perennial competitors. Milan continued to experience success in the late 60s and again in the late 80s to 90s, including consecutive title wins in 1989 and 1990.
However, since last winning the Champions League in 2007, Milan’s presence in the tournament has diminished. They only qualified for seven of the following Champions Leagues before their long barren spell from 2014 to 2021.
There was relief, excitement and passion when the Rossoneri were back in the tournament this season. But, as they sit pointless at the bottom of Group B, it appears there is still work to be done at the San Siro to turn the former European heavyweights into title challengers once more.
How will AC progress in European football?
The 2021/22 Champions League has been a learning curve for Stefano Pioli’s side. They have come up against European stalwarts, who qualify for the tournament year in, year out. It was always going to be a struggle to qualify from the group.
Furthermore, Pioli’s side is young and going through a period of development. Last season, Milan had the lowest average age in Serie A football and their average squad age this season is 26. It is a team of potential stars of the future, including Fikayo Tomori (23), Leão, Alexis Saelemaekers, Brahim Díaz (22), Sandro Tonali (21) and Daniel Maldini (20).
However, the basis is there for Pioli’s young squad to try and qualify again next season. They have been competitive this season and have maintained a high pressing, positive approach that saw them lead against both Atletico and Liverpool for spells. But the game management and experience let them down against two of Europe’s most experienced sides.
Nevertheless, this young Milan side will be in a better place to compete in future European competitions. The Europa League is also not out of reach this season as AC could mount a strong finish in Group B and finish in third place.
Griezmann banned from Milan match
18.11 || webmaster
Antoine Griezmann will be suspended for the Champions League match against Milan after UEFA hit the Atletico Madrid star with a two-match ban.
The France international was sent off during the defeat to Liverpool for a high ball on Roberto Firmino, which caught his opponent on the neck.
Read the rest on Football Italia.
Tatarusanu on penalty save against Inter
18.11 || webmaster
Milan goalkeeper Ciprian Tatarusanu said the penalty save against Inter striker Lautaro Martinez was ‘the most beautiful’ in his career and stressed he’s not ‘thinking about the renewal’ with the Diavolo.
The 35-year-old Romanian became one of the protagonists at Milan when Mike Maignan suffered a wrist injury and has done the task well since replacing the France international.
Read the rest on Football Italia.
AC Milan's title challenge and their chances this season
18.11 || webmaster
Less than two years ago, AC Milan were a mid-table team in Serie A, deprived of any possibility of mounting any serious challenge on a European finish.
However, Zlatan Ibrahimovic's return to San Siro amid the coronavirus pandemic, coupled with Stefano Pioli's appointment, have turned Milan's fortunes around and for those watching football on tv today, Milan are THE side to watch in Serie A.
Despite being well in the autumn of his career, the 40-year-old Swede has turned out to be the catalyst to reinvigorate the underperforming Italian heavyweights.
Besides Ibra's superstar presence, the club's transfer gurus Paolo Maldini and Ricky Massara have done an outstanding job in the transfer market.
They have built a core of exciting young talents without splashing out massive figures, making Milan competitive in the Serie A title race for the first time in a decade.
In December 2019, the seven-time European champions were thumped 5-0 at the hands of Atalanta, which was undoubtedly their lowest point in the 21st century.
At the time, many fans wanted to see Pioli's head rolling, with questions over Milan's ability to return to their former heights making the headlines on a daily basis.
However, the experienced strategist has picked himself up and rallied his troops, making the most out of the coronavirus break to consolidate his ranks.
Fast forward 24 months, the Rossoneri sit tied on points with Napoli at the top of the Serie A table and are one of the leading candidates to wrap up a long-awaited league title.
They have started the 2021/22 Serie A campaign in high spirits, going unbeaten in their opening 12 league fixtures to confirm last season's runners-up finish was no fluke.
Milan's eye-catching showings in the opening stage of the new campaign are the continuation of their impressive form from the tail-end of last season.
Pioli's men are currently riding on a resounding 17-game undefeated run in Serie A, a sequence that includes a brace of wins over the same Atalanta side that put them to the sword two years ago.
Though doubters still question Milan's title credentials, it is almost impossible to make a case for the Rossoneri not being legitimate title candidates.
Pioli has restored a winning mentality at San Siro and have Milan dominated Serie A news for the right reasons again.
Over the past few years, Milan were regularly swept away by the likes of Inter Milan and Juventus, but that's no longer the case.
Pioli's men have been shining bright in high-profile fixtures this term, showing they are no longer willing to roll over and accept defeats.
Indeed, the Rossoneri have come from behind to hold Inter and Juve to a pair of 1-1 draws this season while beating Atalanta, Lazio and Roma by an aggregate score of 7-3.
Pioli's recurring decisions to field understrength XIs in the Champions League group stage matches indicate the Mister has made the Scudetto title race his top priority.
There is a feeling that Milan have the best opportunity to win their first Serie A crown since 2010/11, considering Inter and Juventus are both blowing hot and cold.
The Turin-based giants are already lagging a whopping 14 points behind the Rossoneri, while Simone Inzaghi looks unable to maintain Antonio Conte's legacy at the Giuseppe Meazza.
Inter are currently seven points adrift of Milan and Napoli, whom they will face in a mouth-watering showdown on home turf this weekend.
If the Partenopei hold Inter winless and the Rossoneri beat Fiorentina away from home, Pioli's side could create an unbridgeable gap on the cross-town rivals already in mid-November.
But Milan cannot rest on their laurels. There is no room for complacency at San Siro. The season is still long and anything can happen in the remaining 26 rounds of fixtures.
The Rossoneri have laid the foundations for a title-winning campaign, but they will need to stay at this level week in, week out if they are to dethrone Inter this season.
AC Milan diagonse Calabria calf strain
16.11 || webmaster
Davide Calabria has reportedly suffered a calf strain, which means the Milan full-back will miss games against Fiorentina and Atletico Madrid.
The defender pulled out of international duty.
Read the rest on Football Italia.
AC Milan snap up Paraguayan teenage talent
16.11 || webmaster
Milan have reportedly secured 16-year-old Paraguayan talent Hugo Cuenca at a cost of €400,000.
According to MilanNews.it and transfer pundit Nicolò Schira, the deal is practically done with Deportivo Capiatà.
Read the rest on Football Italia.
Milan could call Adli back in January
16.11 || webmaster
If necessary, Milan could reportedly call Yacine Adli back from his loan at Girondins de Bordeaux in January.
La Gazzetta dello Sport reports the Rossoneri are considering reviewing the agreement between the two clubs, as Adli continues to impress in Ligue 1.
Read the rest on Football Italia.
The Belgrade Fog made Arrigo Sacchi's Team Immortal
16.11 || webmaster
Graziano Mannari has revealed the inside story of the night that helped his side to solidify their presence as being immortal. When AC Milan defeated the Benfica team to win the EU cup in 1990, there weren’t many people who could anticipate that it would be 27 years before the club could retain the trophy. That being said, it was very much apparent that this would be one of the greatest sides that football would ever know. Milan boasted some of the finest defenders in the world. They included Franco Baresi and of course, Paulo Maldini. They had three famous Dutchmen, who were being led by Marco van Basten.
The whole thing was masterminded by the one and only Arrigo Sacchi as well. He was a former salesman for shoes, and he helped to radically change the game. He said that the style of game that they played was just different. Before he came along, Italian football was all about the counter-attack and it was also about great defence as well. When Arrigo came along, they then started to press in their half. It was a great innovation and he was able to teach people how to truly play as a team. He was a great man but most of all, he was a true innovator. If you go onto the Unibet NJ mobile betting app for example, you will see that AC Milan usually have the most favourable odds compared to their contemporaries, and it is men like him who have helped to make the team everything that they are today.
Football In Italy
With Arrigo, the team started to press on, in their half. It was very innovative and he also taught them how they should be playing, which is as a team. People have said that it took them quite some time to realise that not every single coach out there is like him because, for a lot of players, he was their first. Mannari was not the most famous name in the squad though. He remains a very popular figure and supporters will forever remember his two goals against Juventus. He was also a key symbol when you look at Sacchi’s football in his very own way, and all of this comes down to the style of play that he was able to utilise.
Sacchi did not know a lot about the youngsters but he did call one up at the age of 18. That player said he was good at passing, he was fast and he had good timing as well. Mannari could also close down. Before Sacchi, he would follow the ball and then chase it. Under the new manager though, he was determined to learn the nuances that accompany passing which proved to be far too much for his opponents. This is all very interesting because AC Milan are still one of the finest teams in football and some believe that they still have so much potential to offer. Who knows what the future has to offer, but either way, AC Milan have already cemented their place in history.
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