Only a week has passed since the disappointing defeat against Dinamo Zagreb, and what we witnessed yesterday at San Siro was almost surreal.
Milan has completely changed its face in just a few days, going through three different phases in as many matches.
It all started with the horror show in the Champions League clash at the Maksimir Stadium, where the Rossoneri seemed to hit rock bottom with an extremely poor performance.
Then came the derby against Inter, a game played with heart and intelligence but one that, beyond the draw, highlighted the huge gap between the starting eleven and the backup players. Finally, here we are at the Coppa Italia match against Roma, a game dominated and won with grit and character, as pointed out by PianetaMilan.it.
Leaving aside the impact of the new signings, Kyle Walker, Santiago Gimenez, and João Félix, it’s quite clear that Sérgio Conceição can now shape his team. But how will he do it?
The Portuguese coach had repeatedly stressed that, given the characteristics of the players at his disposal, he couldn’t lay the foundations for his tactical vision. The transfer market, however, has provided him with exactly the missing pieces. Indeed, Milan finished the match against Roma in a 4-4-2 formation that, to many, might seem overly attacking. Even yesterday, though, several tactical changes were already noticeable: with this system, the Rossoneri were more compact, left very few gaps between the lines, and pressed their opponents more intelligently. In short, Milan’s management did not repeat the same mistake made with former Milan head coach Paulo Fonseca, this time, they chose to listen to their coach, and the early signs are truly promising.
Now, the need to generate new debates seems urgent, and in fact, social media is buzzing with the idea that Leão could lose his starting spot. Let’s not go too deep into that but respond with a simple statement: competition is always beneficial. After all, in recent months, many critics have pointed out two things about Rafael Leao: first, his belief that he is the best, and second, the certainty that no one in Milan’s squad could challenge him for his place.
But, a certain Joao Felix arrived in the winter transfer window.
The Portuguese advanced attacking midfielder has already lit up San Siro with a goal on his debut and dazzling plays that delighted the Rossoneri fans. And that’s not all, waiting in the wings is also Riccardo Sottil, a player who will surely do everything to convince Conceição of his qualities. So, where’s the problem?
Rafael remains the star of the team, but now he must be wary of teammates who won’t be content with sitting on the bench. Competition is beneficial, as we’ve said, and Rafa can only improve from it, just like Milan.
