Two points dropped versus Pisa or is it a draw that will prove useful at the end of the season?
Three days after Milan-Pisa, the debate continues among Milan fans, split between those dissatisfied and those who share Max Allegri’s more measured post-match analysis. Personally, given the number of chances created, it feels like a mix of both. Milan could have scored several goals against Pisa but ran into Semper’s outstanding night and lacked composure in key moments. In the end, Athekame’s goal earned an important point, but the refereeing cannot be ignored.
Nzola’s 2-1 goal was clearly tainted by a foul from Moreo on Gabbia, as the Pisa forward set a block on the Milan defender, knocking him down off the ball. Tomorrow’s Open VAR episode on DAZN will show which interpretation was used in Lissone to judge that contact as neither a foul nor relevant. The penalty given for De Winter’s handball is also questionable since the Milan defender’s arm movement showed no intention to touch the ball.
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Santi, now we have a problem. Since his arrival at Milan, the fans have supported him and still think Gimenez is a strong striker who can help the team. But he must start helping himself too. His league goal tally is still zero. He works hard for the team, but something more is needed. Will Allegri expect a new striker in January? Difficult. It’s hard to find a top-level forward mid-season, and signing someone like Dusan Vlahovic is unrealistic. The Serbian wants to finish the season at Juventus, collect his full €12 million salary, then leave on a free and sign with another club offering big money. The market is unpredictable, but there are no clear opportunities Milan can jump on. As for Gimenez, it would be wrong to give up on him, though tomorrow against Atalanta he might start on the bench, with Leao and Nkunku up front. But what if the Mexican is going through a “Crespo phase”? When Hernan Crespo first joined Milan, he struggled for months before finding the goal that unlocked him, later becoming Shevchenko’s ideal partner. It’s fair to criticize Gimenez, but not to destroy him.
Milan vs Como in Perth remains uncertain:
There are political battles at play, and the cancellation of Villarreal-Barcelona in Miami has strengthened the opposition to holding the match between the two Lombard clubs in Australia. Right now, the odds are even. Public comments from Allegri and Fabregas also made clear they’d prefer to play in Italy rather than fly across the world. The reasons are obvious: long travel, different climate, and the risk of players returning sick or fatigued.
If Milan-Como is played in Italy, where could it take place? First, it must be in a Serie A stadium equipped for VAR and goal-line technology. Second, which one is available? The only suitable venue near both cities is Parma, since Verona and Reggio Emilia will be occupied. But Tardini’s capacity is an issue. Milan have nearly 40,000 season-ticket holders, while Parma’s stadium holds only 22,352. That would mean restricting access and reserving seats for Como fans as well. The only alternative would be postponing the match to a later Wednesday, though the calendar might have allowed for a venue swap earlier. A possible date is February 17 or 18, if Inter don’t play Champions League playoffs, perhaps scheduling the match at 6 p.m. to avoid conflict with European fixtures. One can understand Serie A's plan and both club's positions, however, Milan fans certainly hope that the match would be played at San Siro for obvious reasons.
