The devil is to -9 from Bologna Quarto and all direct rivals have won. Between individual distractions and system defects, too many repeated errors. The Italian Cup derby is now a double -edged sword: salvation or definitive condemnation
Do you have binoculars? Milan looks at the Champions League area from below and sees it up there, far away, 9 points. Bologna fourth at 56 points, Juve fifth at 55, Milan only ninth at 47. Mathematics obviously leaves hopes but, with a little common sense, it can be said: Naples is the city that formalizes Milan’s farewell to the large cup. Pioli had brought the club back to the Champions League in 2021 after seven seasons of absence, four years after the Portuguese consuls Fonseca-Conceiçao are removing the club from his habitat.
The accounts for Europe
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AC Milan must focus on another Europe. The first leg of the Italian Cup semifinal against Inter will play on Wednesday. On the other side of the scoreboard, Bologna and Empoli. AC Milan is clearly disadvantaged against Simone Inzaghi, however, with the victory of the Italian Cup, a place in the Europa League would be guaranteed. More difficult for that qualification to arrive through the championship, also because in this weekend they have won all the direct rivals (Lazio, now seventh, will play in postponement): at least sixth place would be needed, which is from Rome. And Roma, in 2025, in the championship made several points of all. AC Milan thus divides itself between the conference and a season without cups. Like Conte’s Napoli, look a little.
Errors and Leao
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Yes, but how was it possible? Milan have enormous, now rooted problems: they are in its DNA. It grants opportunities for distraction and individual errors. He manages the games very badly, as shown by yet another goal taken in the first minutes (or in the first minutes after scoring). It does not have a guaranteed structure in defense, where central couples change from week by week. He pays the absence of leadership of almost all his key players. And then the life with conceptual choices is complicated: Leao has many defects but why has it also remained outside in Naples? When entered, Milan was much more alive, much more dangerous.
The derby with Inter
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The fans, at this point, are divided. Better to play cups and attend Europe, the historic Milan house? Or rather to free the next season from commitments, to focus attention on the championship, to do simple things, avoid distractions? Only on one point they all agree: the Italian Cup is to be won, the double derby with Inter must go differently from the double European derby of 2023. Wednesday we begin, perhaps with the Leao Owner, Joao Felix on the bench, cage-Thiaw as a central couple: the most logical choices. Ah, it starts at home, because the calendar of the Italian Cup says Milan-Inter immediately, Inter-Milan on April 23. It seems an advantage, however it is dangerous: San Siro will also be a saint, but has lost patience for some time.
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