But what is happening in Milan?
The Rossoneri, reigning Italian champions, have completely collapsed.
With only one victory in 2023 in all competitions, AC Milan is already eliminated from the Italian Cup, defeated in the Super Cup final, and left behind in the league.
The club, which hoped to win a second consecutive Scudetto (feat which has not been achieved since 1992-1993/1993-1994), finds itself battling in the league.
The Red and Blacks are currently in sixth place, synonymous with qualification for the Europa League Conference.
Far from the ambitions displayed by the club.
To discover
Serie A standings
Serie A fixtures and results
Milan come a long way
Second most successful club in the history of the Champions League (7 coronations) behind Real Madrid (14), and also second most successful team in the history of the championship (19 tied with Inter Milan), AC Milan is a heavyweight in European football.
But even the greatest can have slumps and AC Milan is no exception.
Indeed, the Rossoneri have lived through a sad last decade.
Between 2014 and 2020, they could never do better than a fifth place in the league.
A performance achieved during the 2018-2019 season which remains to be put into perspective, given that Milan was excluded from European competitions for non-compliance with financial fair play.
Accustomed to renowned players and coaches for several generations, between the Maldini, Van Basten, Shevchenko,
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Marco Van Basten in the duel with Basile Boli in the 1993 Champions League final. Buzzi / Panoramic
It was only from the 2020-2021 season that Milan managed to regain its first role in the championship.
Leaders for 18 days (season record), the Rossoneri ended up cracking in the second half of the season, to the delight of the eternal rival, Inter Milan.
It was only a postponement the following season, with AC Milan's first title since 2010-2011, obtained with a two-point lead over… Inter Milan.
La Scala
and part of the city could sing again.
Milan sinks again
But the songs of the Lombard city, influenced by Verdi, are silent.
However, the start of the Milanese championship is rather successful, with in particular an oh so precious success in the derby during the 5th day (3-2).
Also qualified for the knockout stages of the Champions League, Milan finished in second place in Serie A at the end of the 15th day, the last before the truce of the World Cup.
An intermission that will be fatal.
The club first chained three consecutive defeats in friendly, against Arsenal (2-1), Liverpool (4-1) and PSV Eindhoven (3-0).
Setbacks which, at this time, could be anecdotal, given the reshuffled workforce.
In reality, they were the harbingers of a dizzying fall.
Since their success against Salernitana (1-2) on January 4, Milan have not
Olivier Giroud and Simon Kjaer were helpless in the defeat in the Milan derby (1-0).
PANORAMIC
As often, the coach is the first person held responsible for the poor form of his team.
Stefano Pioli, the conductor, is no stranger to the club's last two good seasons, but many supporters are now criticizing his choices.
Latest fact: the non-tenure of Rafael Leão during the last performance in the Milan derby (1-0 victory for Inter).
The Portuguese is very clearly the best attacking asset of the Rouge et Noir, already author
of
8 goals and 5 assists this season in the league
.
“Leão has enormous potential.
But my choice to play with two more central attackers was intended to put the Inter defense in difficulty.
My choices seemed to me to be the best compared to what I saw during the week.
He did not have the characteristics to respond to the way I wanted to play, ”
defended Pioli at a press conference.
In addition to a faulty game system, the locker room needs to find a good harmony.
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Mike Maignan (injured since September 2022), Pierre Kalulu, Theo Hernandez and Olivier Giroud are the four Frenchmen in the squad - not counting Yacine Adli and Tiémoué Bakayoko who have no significant playing time - who are fighting in the jersey of AC Milan.
Fans are waiting for a reaction, this Friday against Torino, but also next Tuesday against Tottenham in the Champions League, in order to prevent the curtain from already falling on San Siro.
