Champions League glory [Newsletter]
What an evening, what a game and what a win for AC Milan! That performance was just what we needed to bounce back from a couple of very tough weeks, with the Rossoneri re-establishing themselves in the race for a ticket to the knockout stage. As always, however, there is still a lot of work left.
Stefano Pioli and his men managed to break their five-game goal drought in the Champions League, claiming their first win of the season as well. However, when Milan Skriniar gave the away side the lead after just nine minutes, many probably expected it to be another disappointing evening.
Instead, it ended up being the exact opposite as Rafael Leao woke up on the right side of the bed. He started the build-up to the first goal all by himself and finished it as well, pouncing on the rebound from Olivier Giroud’s shot. A weight off his shoulders, clearly, as he played with a lot of freedom and quality for the rest of the game.
Not only did Leao impress in the attacking phase, but he also tracked back on multiple occasions and worked hard for his team defensively. And this extra push seemed to energise his teammates as well as the fans, which was just what Milan needed in such a tough game.
Many individual performances can be highlighted: Davide Calabria’s obsession with Kylian Mbappe, Ruben Loftus-Cheek’s midfield domination and Olivier Giroud’s clutch moment. The list goes on, in fact, and that hasn’t happened for a very long time. Maybe the first half against Napoli, but certainly not for a full game.
The situation in the group is suddenly looking a lot more positive for Milan, who would secure qualification with wins against Borussia Dortmund and Newcastle. A draw against the latter could also be enough, but it will depend on the results in the other games. In any case, the group is living up to its name (group of death), with three points currently separating fourth from first.
In the meantime, however, Pioli and his men will have to use this confidence boost to beat Lecce at the weekend. Inter are currently six points ahead and the Rossoneri need to bounce back in the league as well, having gone three games without a win (1D, 2L).
News bulletin
➤ Milan Primavera registered their first defeat in the league, losing 2-1 to Empoli, but came very close to at least sealing one point from that game. In any case, they redeemed themselves with a strong performance against PSG on Tuesday, prevailing 3-2 in the end after Francesco Camarda scored a bicycle kick and Diego Sia bagged the winner deep into injury time.
➤ Milan Women suffered their third defeat of the season, conceding a goal in the 92nd minute against Fiorentina. Maurizio Ganz’s side now find themselves in 6th place and certainly have a lot to work on. Sassuolo are up next and the Rossonere will need to clinch all three points.
➤ As confirmed by Geoffrey Moncada, he’s working closely with Stefano Pioli ahead of the January transfer window. A defender is expected to arrive and Milan have put Bournemouth’s Lloyd Kelly at the top of their wish list. However, there are more names on their radar and it’s still very early.
➤ Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s return to the club appears to be imminent after a two-hour meeting with Gerry Cardinale on Monday evening. The Swede is expected to accept a role within RedBird, which would allow him to not only assist Cardinale at Milan but also on other projects.
➤ Milan loanee Lorenzo Colombo scored a lovely brace for Monza against Hellas Verona at the weekend. The Rossoneri are happy with his positive development and could consider keeping him in the first team for next season. So far, the youngster has bagged three goals this season.
➤ Pierre Kalulu underwent surgery last week and will be on the sidelines for around four months. Between now and the January window, Pioli could call up Primavera star Jan-Carlo Simic for the league games for extra cover. However, he cannot be added to the UEFA list.
➤ The Milan players were understandably delighted after the win against PSG and you can read the post-match comments here: Stefano Pioli, Rafael Leao, Olivier Giroud, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Davide Calabria, Theo Hernandez and Yunus Musah.
In case you missed it
Make sure to check out the latest podcast episode, and our latest bonus podcast in which the lads discuss Milan’s injury struggles. We have also published quite a few bonus articles lately, including an explanation of the alleged Milan censoring. Are you interested in a paid subscription? Read all about it here.