Napoli conquers San Siro with a packed, celebratory away section, while Milan laments ending up empty-handed despite a strong performance and many goal-scoring chances.
The big match of the tenth round tells the story of a team deeply reflecting Conte’s identity and another that struggles to connect with Fonseca.
Milan can't be title contenders
In sports, as in life, one must set goals and strive to be ambitious. Since day one on Milan’s bench, Fonseca has openly talked about the Scudetto. But today, the truth is different: this team is not ready to aim for the title, with or without Leão on the field, writes Calciomercato.com.
The Rossoneri are fragile in defence, lacking in attack, and still far from a well-defined team identity. The Portuguese coach has too many internal issues to resolve and cannot rely on reserves equal to the starters.
Players like Terracciano, Musah, and Okafor, when fielded together, do not perform at the level of the starters.
Milan's reality and numbers:
Five losses in the first 12 matches of the season: a start this difficult hasn’t been seen since the 2019/20 season, which began with Marco Giampaolo and continued with Stefano Pioli. Back then, in the first 12 rounds (all league matches), there were even 7 losses. Counting the first 9 league games this season, Milan has 7 points less than last year and 6 less than in 2022/23. The comparison is even harsher with the title-winning season: 11 points less. At this points-per-game average, the most realistic target has to be qualification for the next Champions League, given the quality and quantity of the competition.
A cold reality check for Milan's ambitions, as they now face a crossroads: either come together and make a change or risk a difficult struggle just to reach the minimum objective
