AC Milan has been in a veritable sporting crisis for a few weeks. Against Tottenham Hotspur should now in the Champions League succeed in turning.
The relief was immense. Attacker Olivier Giroud redeemed AC Milan. The 1-0 win against AC Turin last weekend ended a long and painful period of suffering – for the time being. After all, this success against Turin is the first of the last eight competitive games (two draws, five defeats). The Italian champion slipped – and has now at least stopped the free fall. Just in time?
The “Rossoneri” are in fifth place in the Series A, a grueling 18 points behind leaders SSC Napoli. The defense of the Scudetto, the Italian championship, has thus become a long way off and almost utopian. In addition, there is the end in the round of sixteen Coppa Italia against AC Torino (0:1nV). What remains for coach Stefano Pioli’s team this season?
Unfortunate record
Just a successful one Champions League-Maybe for a little reconciliation at the season Milan Tifosi care for. On Tuesday (February 13th, 2023, 9 p.m.) AC Milan has to go to the Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur line up “If we’re here it’s because we’ve done a lot of positive things along the way. We want to try and get through the round“said coach Pioli before the game.
However, the balance sheet in recent years is anything but satisfactory. Milan managed just two of their last 14 knockout games in the Champions League win (three draws, nine defeats). In nine of the 14 games, the “Rossoneri“Didn’t score a goal.
Stars don’t sting
What Pioli has been able to fully rely on in the European premier class so far, however, is his attacker. Olivier Giroud has already been involved in six goals (four goals, two assists). But what about the rest of the stars?
First old star Zlatan Ibrahimovic. The now 41-year-old Swede was back in the AC squad against Turin for the first time after a lengthy knee operation. After a downtime of more than eight months, it should still be unrealistic to use it. And newcomer Charles De Ketelaere? The Belgian came to Milan from Club Brugge for around 36 million euros before the start of the season. So far, the 21-year-old midfielder has hardly played a role. Only six times he was in the Series A in the starting XI, came on as a substitute twelve times (0 goals, 1 assist). The expectations of him were certainly much higher.
Portuguese Leao no longer so brilliant
And left winger Rafael Leao? Last year the Portuguese shone, scoring 11 goals and providing 10 assists in 34 league games and being an integral part of the team that clinched the title. This season he has “lost some of its brilliance” judged Pioli recently. However, his record so far is still presentable. Eight goals and six assists in 21 league games are quite good – even if something seems to be missing from the usual performance.
So there are many problems at AC Milan. The players’ form isn’t exactly at its peak at the crucial stage of the season. With 30 goals conceded, the Italians are also defensively by far the most vulnerable team in the Series A among the top five in the table.
Coach Pioli is still optimistic about the game against England. “We think we can compete with Tottenham and go through the round.”like that Coach. Ideally, the round of 16 should be the final turning point of the game AC Milan in the current season.