The defeat at the Diego Armando Maradona stadium against Napoli feels like surrender from Milan. Mike Maignan and his teammates see Bologna, fourth in the standings, pulling away with a 9-point lead. But the most concerning aspect is that the Rossoneri simply can't get out of ninth place, which is unacceptable given the club's prestige and the investments made (poorly, mind you) both last summer and in the winter market. Currently, Milan finds itself split between the very modest Conference League and the hope of winning the Coppa Italia to at least secure a spot in the Europa League. However, this Milan team starts as clear underdogs against an Inter side heading towards their 21st Serie A title, as pointed out by Calcio Mercato.
Is Milan's boss Sergio Conceicao the one to blame?
With eight games to go, there are no more excuses, and every part of the team, from the highest to the lowest rung of the pyramid, must take responsibility. Sergio Conceicao has actually tried to cling to some of these excuses after the Napoli-Milan game: the absence of Ruben Loftus-Cheek and the issues with Malick Thiaw and Rafael Leao.
The English midfielder, in fact, was never really available even under Paulo Fonseca, constantly battling his usual muscle problems. Not to mention that Thiaw ended up in the middle of the inexplicable and crazy alternation of central defenders, (started by Fonseca and polished by Conceicao), while Leao started on the bench in one out of three games since the former Porto boss took over.
In place of number the number 10, Joao Felix often found space: the former Benfica prodigy, who was strongly requested by Conceicao, has so far played only about half an hour in his debut match in the Coppa Italia against Roma, scoring a goal on his debut. The coach is certainly not the sole responsible for such a disastrous season for the red-and-black colors, but his mistakes are too evident and have contributed to the decline of some of the most important players in the squad, with Pulisic at the forefront. These issues are compounded by some poor strategic decisions, the lack of a recognizable style of play, and the flop in the Champions League.
Milan and Conceicao with wasted opportunities...
There’s nothing to say about Sergio's character and professionalism; his footballing history speaks for itself. By the way, amid this slump, those still passionate about the upcoming fixtures can turn to new avenues for excitement. In fact, a quick Melbet South Africa apk download brings a mobile platform packed with betting options on several matches. This could be a fresh way to stay connected to Milan's matches among other games.
Speaking of Conceicao's team, the field is issuing a clear verdict: this Milan doesn't seem to be made for him. For his way of playing football and his methods. Since taking over from Fonseca, the Devil has struggled with one factor: the initial lead of the opponents. A constant that highlights a clear difficulty in motivating the team properly, along with insufficient tactical preparation. Until recently, coach Sergio still had some leeway for potential renewal, but the prevailing feeling is that he has wasted it. The Supercoppa Italiana trophy raised to the sky after two thrilling victories over Juventus and Inter now seems like a consolation prize, one that will feel out of season next summer when the new sporting director makes the final decision on the coaching situation.
