As is now to be expected, Zvonimir Boban did not hold back in his criticism of AC Milan both before and after the defeat against Feyenoord last night.
There is still 90 minutes of the tie to go, but Milan must show a big improvement if they are to overturn the deficit at San Siro and beat Feyenoord after they lost 1-0 in the first leg last night.
The tone was set when Milan gifted the Rotterdam club a goal after three minutes to make the stadium explode, with Mike Maignan making a blunder on a shot he should have kept out.
Boban was covering the game at De Kuip as a pundit for Sky and he had several interesting things to say, starting with criticism for the decision to let Ismael Bennacer depart in January. MilanNews transcribed his comments.
“I would have preferred to keep Ismael Bennacer, a serious mistake to let him go. A super underrated player, of a very high level in both phases. He could have given a hand to Fofana, together with Reijnders. But let’s hope that it can go well anyway.”
After the game, the former midfielder made it clear that in his eyes Milan have not shown themselves to be a consistent team all season, lacking in style of play, and also mentioned how Conceicao hasn’t found his best side yet.
“Milan haven’t been understood since the beginning of the season. They continue to be a team without identity, ideas and how to interpret a tough match against a well-organised opponent.
“Milan must control the match especially if you play so offensively. Almost never having the ball, waiting to counter-attack, Milan put them at ease. It was a good thing that the first half ended only 1-0.
“Milan must find a regular team. Every Milan fan, I hear many people, many fans, who talk and believe that this team was badly conceived, badly built, that it couldn’t get results. Good.
“Now things are picking up a bit with the signings and they are rightly plugging things, and we also complimented them on the signings. But since the beginning of the season I don’t think Milan have played twice in a row with the same team. With so many new players.
“That is, if you have 15, 20 players who have been working well for years, they understand each other, they know each other. It’s true, you play with them in training, it’s not that you put them there and they work.
“It’s not that in Empoli you put Musah over there, that other one over there, it’s obvious that in the first half they didn’t work. In the second half then with so much quality Milan rightly won.
“You have to choose a typical team, a typical formation, and then in any case with slight changes every now and then compared to the opponent, obviously.”
Bennacer this year alone missed 21 matches due to injury.
We should have sold him in the Summer and brought in Warren Bondo. At least we would have not had to play a man light from August 30th to December 28th.
Yes, it was great. Sold a fit player to get an injured one. Where is Bondo? Injured. You know who will play the next game because there aren’t other midfielders. So I have to agree with Boban, Bennacer would stay until summer one way or the other. And be sold in the summer.
exactly. bondo is injured and not registered for cl squad. this clown management ffs
Yep – he was injured all the time, we stand by him, get him back to match fitness and then he repays our faith by staying with us and becoming one of the most important members of the — no, wait… he forces a move to Marseilles…. Thanks, Benny! I don’t know what Boban’s smoking here.
Milan don’t agree everything player asks for.bennacer asked Milan even in summer.
But why they should agree now.
They should have brought atleast someone on loan for 6months other than Benny and rlc. But they can’t sign new player because of the poor management of team with Italians + foreigners.
Bennacer was just getting back to form/fitness and was improving game by game. He is the type of intelligent and skilful midfielder who would have complemented Fofan and Tiji perfectly.
During the Supercopa he stepped up as leader of the team.
In terms of his exit, please read between the lines. He said he had the chance to leave in summer but the new manager needed him so he stayed. Infering the now new manager did not want/need him. He also said how Milan don’t want to play the kind of football he is suited to, keeping the ball.
Now we could talk all day about players who could replace him but unfortunately none would be eligible for CL list.
It seems clear that several senior players left because of the new manager, players who never caused a moments trouble in their lives.
It’s disappointing, as a midfield with Benny in the CL would make all the difference.
Also given it is Boban who not only knows the player very well but also was a midfield maestro himself and is very close to people at the club, I take his words as intelligent and truthful
Bondo isnt the type of middlefielder that Milan desperately needs. We needed a real regista/holding six to control the pace of the game , not another needless one trick pony like RLC.
Milan cannot control games, because we do not have players to control games in midfield. Fofana is not a DM, it should be clear by now. All our midfielders are ball carriers, with poor passing and vision with the exception of Reijnders which gives his best in more advanced position. Also a lot of our defenders are poor passers, including Theo. Only Walker and Thiaw are to the level. Our offensive players have limited aggression, making it hard to press effectively.
This is a poorly constructed team, any coach will struggle: you cannot play positional football, you cannot press high, there is not enough quality to build from the back. Maybe all you can do is sit back and play counters.
100%
We should have taken Morten Frendrup this winter. A very good midfielder. Exactly what the team needed most. Now was the best time to bring him but…
The lack of commitment on the field is the result of not having a core of Italians with deep roots in the club. Right now, we’re relying on mercenaries—we need to establish a strong foundation.
We should consider integrating some of these Italian players into the first team and start rebuilding an Italian core:
Gianluigi Donnarumma
Sandro Tonali
Bryan Cristante
Manuel Locatelli
D. Udogie
Francesco Camarda
Mattia Liberali
Davide Bartesaghi
Kevin Zeroli
Daniel Maldini
Raoul Bellanova
Matteo Gabbia
Lorenzo Colombo
Dude are you serious? Lay off the crack.
Gianluigi Donnarumma – Plays for PSG, already played for Milan, left under very acrimonious circumstances, never coming back, reheated soup is never good.
Sandro Tonali – Starts for Newcastle in the PL, transfer fee was 65M, reheated soup is never good.
Bryan Cristante – Plays for Roma, former player, reheated soup is never good.
Manuel Locatelli – Starts for Juventus, wanted that transfer, former player, reheated soup is never good.
D. Udogie – JUST transferred to Tottenham, worth at least 50M, plays in the PL, we can’t afford him.
Francesco Camarda – Is only 16 years old and IS being slowly integrated into the firs team.
Mattia Liberali – Same as Camarda, but 17 y/o.
Davide Bartesaghi – Same as Camarda and Liberali, but 18 y/o/.
Kevin Zeroli – Same as Camarda, Liberali, Bartesaghi.
Daniel Maldini – He’s gone. Sold. Not coming back.
Raoul Bellanova – Reheated soup, wingback (we don’t play 5 at the back formations), another former player.
Matteo Gabbia – Huh? He IS a first team player.
Lorenzo Colombo – Out on loan, may not be good enough.
And I have to add that Locatelli and Tristante won’t add anything to our midfield. Both are TERRIBLE players, just awful.
Youngster need to be inserted carefully, otherwise you burn them and their careers go to the toilet (Cutrone, I am talking about you).
Bad tactical setup, Conceicao is turning into Claudio Ranieri, stick to a system. Leao also needs to be benched, no more excuses.
Isn’t he was benched, even when he starts first half.
I don’t understand why it’s always Leao, when 11players without him still couldn’t do anything.
We are winning big games only when he is doing well
solve the midfield solution by signing Pogba next summer and play 4 3 3
I should agree with boban, who know the players directly, has experience to blt a winning team, and he was a midfielder maestro. Why would i need to hear bunch of nobody’s comment which hasn’t proved anything.
He is missing the point on Ben
Ben himself cried wanting to leave and it’s not like he’s been good
Should have just played
MM
Walker-Pavlo-Gabbia-Jimenez
Musah-Fofana-Reijn
Puli-Gimenez-Felix
Basically the line-up vs Roma with some changes
Conceicao’s obsession with Tomori is stupid and he should grow some balls and bench Leao and Theo
Benny wanted to leave?!
What exactly are you guys smoking? It will soon become obvious when the last men standing leave. Bennacer is never the kind of player to force a move on deadline day. The management made the call. You should be happy Bennacer left without throwing a hissy.
The midfielders with no baller like Benny. Haha…
He is also wrong about the game on Empoli
We played well in 1st half apart from Felix who had a stinker and Tammy as well
We had some chances and actually played better on the 1st half than in the second one but we were penalized by the referee, 2 clear fouls on Jimenez not given and arguably a pen on Tammy not given as well
I said it before and I’ll say it again. Locker room cultures is poor.
It’s hard to say that it’s because Maldini because that mentality started after Inter defeat in the semi-finals. Maybe they need to bring psychologist to help fortified their mental strength
Boban spitting facts as usual. Ppl like this u need in a organization to keep the real in check
Bennacer is a former player for at least 2 seasons. I support Boban most of the time, but what did he watch about Bennacer last 2 seasons to support him? Because he has been abysmal. If you talk about the Bennacer of 4-5 years ago I would agree, but the current Bennacer is a former player as a I said. Having said that, I am not sure if Bennacer out and Bondo in is an upgrade…. we need to wait and see
No one Milan midfielder like Benny did. Very aggressive and skillful. Milan should keep him to support fofana / tijjani