After having completely squandered their advantage over the other contenders for a Champions League place, Massimiliano Allegri’s Milan now finds itself in a position where it can no longer afford to make any mistakes. Although the Rossoneri still have their fate in their own hands, the ‘Diavolo’ will have to face the final 180 minutes of the season under the pressure of having absolutely no margin for error.
The next match, an away trip to Genoa against the ‘Grifone’ coached by De Rossi, on a ground that has historically been difficult for Milan, is shaping up to be a delicate encounter. De Rossi himself is eager to do a favour for his beloved team, Roma.
What are the reasons behind AC Milan's collapse in the current season?
The Rossoneri’s first half of the season was of a very high standard; the same cannot be said of the second half. The disappointment in the eyes of the fans, along with the growing frustration among the players and within the club environment, has led to a clear decline in recent performances. Not so much in terms of the style of play, which, apart from a couple of away matches (Udinese and Bologna), has hardly been seen at all this season, but in terms of the intensity and determination shown on the pitch, which have gradually faded away.
Much like fans searching for entertainment through platforms offering bingo online, supporters are now looking elsewhere for excitement that Milan once consistently provided.
Allegri’s team, which only a few months ago appeared to have ambitions of finishing at the very top of the table, quickly dropped to focusing solely on the still-important objective of qualifying for the Champions League. Yet it almost seemed as though, once Inter pulled away, motivation completely collapsed. Players of a certain stature, such as Maignan and Rabiot, saw their performances decline, while the only ones who maintained a consistently high level were Modric and Pavlovic, probably the two MVPs of Milan’s season. Others, who had led the team in the past, such as Leão and Pulisic, as well as Saelemaekers, seem to have completely let go. This is symptomatic of a team lacking personality.
And yet, personality should be one of the key foundations in building a team, because when matches become tense and objectives start to seem difficult to achieve, a team needs something to hold onto. Until a few weeks ago, the Diavolo seemed certain of Champions League qualification; only the mathematics were missing. Now they find themselves having to fight until the very last minute, dragged into a crowded race full of challengers.
The second issue concerns the poor technical quality shown by the players. Whether it is Allegri’s playing style (although that increasingly sounds more like an excuse than a real reason), the squad’s players can no longer produce the flashes of technical brilliance capable of unlocking matches. Milan no longer attacks dangerously, no longer shoots on target, dribbles, or excites. It is a lifeless team that neither entertains nor inspires. For opponents, facing Milan has now become easy. Recently, the Rossoneri’s matches have all looked dull and static: nobody takes control of the situation, nobody produces moments of technical excellence. And when you cannot find that decisive play, everything becomes difficult.
The hope is that, in these remaining 180 minutes, Milan can rediscover those two aspects that seemed present until January. Then something changed mentally, and everything was gradually lost. Qualification for next season’s Champions League is an objective that simply cannot be missed; otherwise, next season would also begin under serious difficulties. Nobody wants to hear the word "rebuilding" once again.
