Last night, Milan had only one possible outcome: victory.
Winning would have meant keeping their Champions League hopes alive, which are now as far as eight points away, a considerable gap, perhaps even too much for a team that has shown itself this season to be as fragile as it is overconfident.
After the defeat in Turin, we expected to see a fierce Rossoneri team, determined to take home the win, but not even taking the lead was enough for Sergio Conceição’s team to turn the page and restart—yet again in a season that now seems to be slipping further and further away, as pointed out by Il Corriere dello Sport in this morning's print edition.
Yesterday at the Dall'Ara, Milan relied on their best players, but apart from Leão, who scored the goal that briefly put the Rossoneri ahead, they were let down by almost everyone, including Bebote Santiago Giménez, who was ineffective, unlike his namesake in Bologna’s attack, Castro, who not only scored the equalizer but also put in an impressive performance overall.
Bologna - Milan: Conceicao's wrath?
Sergio Conceição could not hide his frustration following yet another disappointing display from his team. After the Torino loss, he had promised the fans that he and his players would fight until the very last matchday for fourth place, which is now eight points away—a mirage, in short, that inevitably leads to renewed doubts about the Portuguese coach’s position. And that is precisely what infuriated the Milan manager, who did not mince words in his press conference: "If I'm the problem, I'll leave for free." A further sign of the toxic atmosphere surrounding Milanello.
Rafael Leao - 'Mea Culpa'
While Conceição vented all his frustration, Rafael Leão remained cold and composed—just as he had been when scoring the goal that gave Milan their temporary lead. The Rossoneri’s number 10 issued a significant mea culpa, acknowledging that the players bear the greatest responsibility for the team’s delicate and complicated moment. At this stage of the season, making promises is rather pointless, but the Portuguese winger rallied his teammates and the entire club environment, urging everyone to lift their heads and at least try to react immediately—starting with Sunday’s match against Lazio. But it will have to be a collective effort, not just him and a select few others, as relayed via Milannews.it.
