Milan, goalkeeper case: Maignan ko, Tatarusanu owner, Vasquez learns

The first problem to solve is problem number 1, intended as a goalkeeper. Mike Maignan’s calf is still unstable and in the meantime the sensation has been transmitted to the defence, without its owner: without him the only goalless victory obtained was on 8 October last, against Juventus. Closed doors also against Cremonese: no goals conceded but not even one scored. The goals conceded are quantifiable (with Tatarusanu 15 in 14 matches between the championship and the Champions League), the feeling of precariousness is not, unless one counts the outbursts immortalized in a whole series of videos relaunched on the web, in which Tomori scolds Tata for some uncoordinated intervention or a less than impeccable exit. In the game there is that certain inaccuracies are not tolerated (and Tomori does little to hide them), they certainly give an idea of ​​the tension that sometimes reigns.

freedom

—

While Maignan could afford to leave the area and arrive in midfield to give indications on free-kicks in favor, Tata is allowed much less: in every goal conceded, his mistake is looked for. Often in vain: he will not transmit the same certainties as his colleague who holds the chair, but neither can he be blamed for sensational errors. This is also why Milan will continue with him: he will be in goal tomorrow against Turin and will also remain there in the following rounds of the championship. At least until Maignan becomes available again. When? Pioli’s words, unique in this regard, are not encouraging: “We don’t have timescales, I can’t say today if it will be in 3, 4 or 5 weeks. Mike has all our support and is eager to return but he knows we have to respect the timescales because the muscle isn’t responding as it should. I can’t say by what date we’ll have it.” An ambitious goal, perhaps too much, could be the first leg of the Champions League round of 16 in mid-February. Recovery is more likely to slip to the end of next month.

go back

—

It is also difficult for the hierarchies to be reversed again: for example, for Mirante to become a candidate for the role again. He didn’t take advantage of the chance to start in Holland, in the last pre-season friendly against PSV. And Devis Vasquez is still too far behind even just to register for the race (despite the transfer arriving by the hour): already in the first training sessions he showed good qualities and a marked sense of adaptation to the new working methods. But he still has to learn the language (a crucial aspect for leading the defence) and above all to get into the mechanisms of the department: using him in a cup inside-out is considered premature. Throwing him in the Scudetto race, likewise. The club, moreover, considers it a prospective investment, to be evaluated in the medium-long term. A goalkeeper who will allow Maignan to have his back covered in the future. Unless the non-EU status is already exploited by Milan in the summer: selling him in the next session (there would already be interested teams…) would allow the inclusion of two non-EU players in the squad. The deputy Maignan of 2023-24, in fact, is already there even if he is not seen: it is Marco Sportiello, arriving at the end of the season as a free agent from Atalanta.