AC Milan takes to the field tonight against Slovan Bratislava in an important match for qualification to the Champions League Round of 16.
The Rossoneri, by winning their next four matches, have the chance to secure a spot among the top 8 in the standings, which would mean direct qualification. Franco Ordine, a well-known journalist, has written a piece for Il Corriere dello Sport.
Following the disappointing draw with Juventus, the first doubts about Paulo Fonseca are beginning to surface.
What did Ordine say?
“It’s truly curious, the double life of Milan under Paulo Fonseca: wasteful, inconsistent, and distracted in the league, capable of raising hopes against Inter only to sink into the most disheartening mediocrity with Cagliari and Juventus. Tonight begins the journey with Slovan Bratislava, still sitting on 0 points, followed by matches against Red Star, Girona, and Dinamo Zagreb. The pressing question is: can this team, with its double life, inherently unreliable and unpredictable, capable of any feat but equally prone to devastating collapses, actually make it into Europe’s top 8?”
On Milan's situation, Ordine said:
“The match against Juve left many scars—not only on the dismal standings but also on the Rossoneri's image, offering no credit for the immediate future. Fonseca came out of it bruised, particularly for his statement (‘I still believe in the Scudetto’), which had a sour taste. One must also not overlook the club’s gloomy mood, as it begins to question the decision made last summer, Paulo Fonseca’s work, and the maturity of some of its key figures. The early-morning presence of Ibrahimović and Moncada for the training session might hint at the growing unease spreading through Casa Milan. It seems inevitable. Because so far, good intentions have remained nothing more than empty words, unsupported by mature conduct from a team aware of its strengths and, above all, its weaknesses.”
