AC Milan is looking toward its future with a match they cannot afford to lose: the derby.
Sunday's fixture, in fact, is scheduled for Sunday evening at 8:45 PM CEST with the Nerazzurri hosting. Regardless of the result, there is much uncertainty surrounding the future of their bench, with Paulo Fonseca's position increasingly shaky, and several alternatives emerging for his replacement.
One of these is Maurizio Sarri, a coach who has been officially free since March 14, 2024, when Claudio Lotito accepted his resignation, thus terminating the contract that was set to expire on June 30, 2025. For three different reasons, Sarri could be the perfect replacement for the Portuguese coach if he departs, writes Calciomercato.com
Milan's squad
This Milan team was built to play with a well-defined formation. It starts with a four-man defence, then a three-man midfield that can be arranged in a line or a triangle with an advanced tip, and finally a central forward with two highly offensive wingers.
The idea, set up by Ibrahimovic in agreement with Moncada and the rest of the club management, is to try to dominate the offensive play while putting on as much of a spectacle as possible.
Essentially, a 4-3-3 that Sarri has always used, and with which he came close to winning the Scudetto at both Lazio and Napoli, utilising players similar to those currently at Milanello.
For instance, Higuain and Immobile were not the classic number 9 types, much like Alvaro Morata, the three-man midfield revolves around a more technical player (Reinjders like Hamsik and Luis Alberto) and a more physical one (Loftus-Cheek like Milinkovic and Allan), and the fullbacks alternate between one who stays back more and one who pushes forward (it's unnecessary to specify who these would be in red and black).
In Milan, there are players that Sarri has already coached...
Sarri also already knows many of the players currently under contract with the Rossoneri, having coached them during his time at Chelsea. Alvaro Morata and Tammy Abraham were part of that squad, but above all, Sarri's major accomplishment was promoting Ruben Loftus-Cheek to the first team on a permanent basis. Loftus-Cheek even recently said in an interview: "The season with Sarri was the best. The role I played with him was my favourite. I played in different positions, but he made me play in the one where I felt most comfortable. That's why I came here, to play in my favourite position and try to get back to the numbers I had under Sarri."
Sarri's profile is financially sustainable for Milan
Beyond the technical discussion, the most important factor is economic. Fonseca’s dismissal will cost Milan 12 million euros gross (his contract was due to expire on June 30, 2026, with an option until 2027). This forces the management to contain the financial impact of his replacement, despite the savings from Stefano Pioli officially joining Saudi club Al Nassr.
Sarri’s salary demands are not as high as those of Massimiliano Allegri and Thomas Tuchel (two other alternatives currently on Ibrahimovic’s table), and he could settle for a salary no higher than what was originally planned for Fonseca.
Sarri could be the right choice for Milan
If Fonseca fails to save himself, the former Juventus, Napoli, Lazio and Chelsea coach could indeed be the right choice for a Milan that now, more than ever, wants to get back on track quickly.
The declared goal of a potential change wouldn’t necessarily be to get back in the race for the Scudetto, although that is still achievable, but to quickly close the gap with their direct rivals in the race for a Champions League spot, the one objective they cannot afford to miss from a financial perspective.
