The final game of 2023 is upon us, with AC Milan taking on Sassuolo this Saturday, and three points are needed to avoid a complete disaster. The injury situation has worsened since last time out, with Fikayo Tomori now sidelined for two months, and the Rossoneri could reach the point of no return.
Not even a New Year’s resolution can rescue Milan now, with far too many injuries and a coach who clearly isn’t capable enough. Granted, we all know that any manager would struggle under these circumstances, but it would also be foolish to not acknowledge that Pioli is part of the problem. At least his staff, anyway.
At this stage last season, Milan were in second place and just five points behind Napoli in first place, having lost just two out of the 16 games. We all know what happened after the World Cup, more specifically at the start of 2023, and if that trend repeats itself in 2024 then we are in for a tough year.
It simply doesn’t feel like Milan can turn this around, regardless of the result against Sassuolo, but the January window could be the saving grace in that sense. Not to fight for the Scudetto, mind you, but simply to remain in the running for a top-four finish and do reasonably well in the Europa League.
First and foremost, we need to assess the performance against Sassuolo and see what will happen to Stefano Pioli. In our latest bonus article, we discussed everything you need to know about his future - as well as the latest Saudi takeover rumours - so do check it out if you haven’t already. In short, though, it’s complicated and a mid-season change is far from ideal.
Many of us are probably hoping for a win merely so we can enjoy the New Year’s Eve celebrations with some positivity. It is truly grasping at straws, we know, and in the event of a defeat we might as well call it New Year’s Grieve: Pioli running out of lives, a top-four race of death, and the final nail in the coffin for our Scudetto dream.
Let’s hope there are some positives to talk about next week, when the January window has officially opened and Matteo Gabbia has returned to the ranks. But for now, let’s dig into the latest news about the Rossoneri.
News bulletin
➤ Milan Primavera suffered a tough 3-2 defeat against Hellas Verona on December 22, despite coming back from 2-0 behind. The result means that Ignazio Abate's side are now four points behind Inter who lead the league.
➤ The theme of injuries is no doubt dominating discussions inside the walls of Casa Milan and Milanello. La Gazzetta dello Sport worked out that there have been over 800 combined days of absence this season for the Rossoneri's players.
➤ Speaking of injuries, Fikayo Tomori is expected to miss at least two months after sustaining a serious muscle injury during the 2-2 draw with Salernitana. That has accelerated Milan's centre-back pursuit, with Matteo Gabbia expected to return and several other potential targets linked.
➤ Sticking with transfer news, Serhou Guirassy has reportedly opened to the idea of leaving Stuttgart mid-season and Milan will now try to accelerate. There is competition from the Premier League above all, but the €17m clause makes the striker a tempting opportunity.
➤ Is the Sassuolo game truly do-or-die for Pioli? We relayed the information we have in an article on Wednesday, while La Repubblica are reporting that Antonio Conte and Roberto De Zerbi are on the list of replacements but from the summer rather than mid-season.
➤Five players are sitting on expiring contracts and while things could change, Milan have more or less made their decisions on them, with only one expected to stay at the moment.
In case you missed it
Make sure to check out the latest podcast episode, and our latest bonus podcast in which the lads answered your questions. We have also published quite a few bonus articles lately, including the breakdown of the Champions League and Europa League revenue. Are you interested in a paid subscription? Read all about it here.
Just a comment to say happy new year to the sempreMilan team. Thanks for the hard work and great content!