Two narrow defeats, but both deserved based on what was seen on the pitch. Qualification for the round of 16 is still possible for Milan and Atalanta, but in Europe, even against second-tier teams like Feyenoord and Bruges, simply going through the motions is not enough.
In a week’s time, much more will be needed than what was shown last night to avoid the huge disappointment of exiting the Champions League. The Dutch and Belgian sides played better in the first legs of the playoffs, but more than the quality of the opponents, it was the underwhelming collective and individual performances of the Rossoneri and the Atalanta team that made the difference.
Conceição has yet to find the cure for Milan’s problems, which continue to be inconsistent. Gasperini is struggling to rediscover his old Atalanta: after an 11-game winning streak, the Nerazzurri have entered a less brilliant phase in terms of performances and, consequently, results.
Milan’s night got off to a bad start, conceding a goal in the third minute. But there were still 87 minutes to turn things around. Instead, almost everything was lacking: cohesive play, intensity, aggression, incisiveness, and individual flair. Nearly all defensive and offensive duels were lost, as Conceição honestly admitted after the match.
The “Fab Four” up front failed to deliver: Pulisic was poor, Felix was not dangerous, Gimenez was uninspired, and Leao, although slightly more active, made the wrong final choices almost every time.
The level in Europe is much higher than the football played by three-quarters of Serie A teams. Shining against Empoli (with all due respect to the Tuscan side) is one thing; facing Feyenoord (and we’re not even talking about Liverpool or Real Madrid…) is another. Technical quality alone is not enough—consistency, character, and mentality are essential. There is plenty of work for Conceição.
Since his arrival, there have been some good things and others much less so. Reacting late to snatch results and having the courage to field many attacking players is not enough—Milan still lacks identity, continuity, and, above all, a convincing style of play.
That said, it's worth remembering that the Portuguese coach has only been in charge for a month and a half, and he deserves time.
A side note: appearances can be deceiving—you can have dyed hair and still be decisive on the pitch. But seeing Theo Hernández with fluorescent hair gives the impression of someone not entirely focused on this crucial moment for the team. We know saying this might make us sound like boomers.
Milan is not European enough
Atalanta returns from Belgium with a great deal of bitterness. The penalty conceded after the 90th minute was surreal. But it would be a huge mistake for La Dea to focus only on the referee’s incredible decision. Instead, they must carefully analyze the match because Club Brugge played better and deserved the win. The Belgians dominated the first 30 minutes, with Atalanta appearing surprised by their opponents' pace and intensity. However, in the final 15 minutes of the first half, the Belgian club slowed down, allowing the Bergamaschi to equalize. In the second half, Club Brugge regained control. Retegui had a chance to put Atalanta ahead before the fiery finale that left Gasperini fuming.
Atalanta, which had so far played the most convincing football among the Italian teams in Europe, looked less "European" this time. However, their players, from De Roon to Pašalić, showed maturity at the end of the match by not dwelling too much on the penalty and instead acknowledging that their performance was below par and that much more will be needed in the return leg next week, as pointed out by La Gazzetta dello Sport in their website.
Gasperini preaches caution, highlighting the quality of the opponents (“it won’t be easy to win by two goals”), but for those who have seen Atalanta shine in European competitions, the feeling is that if they can return to their best form, qualification for the round of 16 is still within reach.
Exiting in the playoffs—after already failing in the Supercoppa and being eliminated from the Coppa Italia—would start to make this season look like a half-empty glass. However, the club’s primary goal remains securing a spot in next season’s Champions League once again.
But there’s no use in worrying too soon. In Bergamo, the stadium will be a cauldron, and if Gasperini can recover Lookman, the result can be overturned without the need for a miracle.
Let's remain optimistic...
Milan and Atalanta can still go through. The verdict will come in a week.
