The 2024-25 season of Serie A kicks off today and AC Milan will face Torino at San Siro. The Rossoneri’s former manager, Fabio Capello, was interviewed by Gazzetta dello Sport and shared his thoughts on the team as well as the league overall.
Milan had a strong pre-season under Paulo Fonseca and the hope is that his will translate into good performances in Serie A as well. Torino are up first and considering the difference in quality on paper, the Rossoneri are the clear favourites to win.
Speaking to Gazzetta dello Sport this morning (see photo below), Capello shared his thoughts on the league overall and why Milan are the closest team to Inter in the Scudetto race. However, there are still some things for Fonseca to work out.
Which teams are you the closest to Inter?
“Milan is the team that can shorten the time needed to win again. The problem is in midfield: too often last year when the Rossoneri lost the ball, the opponents arrived at the face of the goal. It also happened a few evenings ago against Monza in the Berlusconi Trophy. They signed Fofana precisely for this reason.”
Milan, Juve and Napoli have changed coaches. Who will be able to make an impact faster between Fonseca, Motta and Conte?
“It also depends on the players. Conte has already complained, he needs Lukaku and other reinforcements. He says the squad is incomplete. The first few games can give him useful indications. Juve sent away important players and excluded Chiesa from the project. A new coach has arrived with clear ideas, but we need to see if these ideas are sufficient and if the new signings deserve to wear the black and white shirt. Juve’s Champions League placement is not enough, they have to fight to win.”
Which summer signing can make the difference most noticeably and most quickly?
«I have always liked Zielinski, he will be invaluable to Inter. But the first name is Morata: he has strength and experience. He will be able to replace Giroud in a different way and will be very important in all moments of the match.”
Which youngster can make the definitive leap in quality?
“I’ll give you two. The first is still young, even if not very young, and it’s Leao: the Portuguese no longer has time, he must establish himself definitively and not settle. The second is Yildiz, who had a good European Championship and can aim to impose himself with a heavy jersey.”
Tonight’s clash is scheduled for 20:45 CEST and Youssouf Fofana will be presented to the fans at half-time, which should make for a good roar.
“Conte has already complained..” LMAO 😂😂😂 so true. He’s such a double edged sword..
It’s true what Cap said about the midfield. We’re still short and I think even with Fofana we need something more.
I was really against the idea of bringing Conte. He’s just too unstable and unpredictable and has no problems ditching his team and players in the middle of the season if he feels like. A big no to him.
Midfield is where we lost battles before and besides Fofana it would be great to have an understudy to him. What if (god forbids) Fofana gets injuried or when he’s out due to cards. I don’t want to have Reijnder, Musah and RLC holding down our mid.
Ya I agree. It will be especially troubling if we sell Benny to balance the books
Our mid is a bit mis-matched as well. Fofana has to start. But who besides him? Reindjers most likely – but is he really a double pivot? Neither is RLC who likes to go forward and is vastly inconsistent. Musah is well Misah and is still raw and inexperienced. Adli seems out of the squad and Pobega simply lacks quality. Benny is the only other double pivot we have and he may leave/ be sold to SA to balance the books. So if Fofana and Benny are you double pivots does Reindjers and RLC sit the bench with Pulisic now as CAM? That’s why I can see us selling Benny. First to cash in and get our NET transfer spend back in order and second to reduce squad numbers. Who we should sell over Benny is Musah and Pobega. But Musah is American so he stays and the market for Pobega is weak to say the least.
Also think we are thin at #9. Jovic as our primary backup in a one striker system is a huge gamble. He cannot lead the line on his own. He’s a 2-striker system player. One injury to Morata and we are forced to rely on Jovic for an extended period of time – we are in big trouble
Conte is well Conte lol. He will make Napoli more competitive – that is however if De Lorentis can actually put up with him for a whole season lol.
The books don’t need to be balance, stop making things up.
The books don’t need to be balanced, stop making things up.
Conte has already complained!!!!
I don’t know why that’s so funny.
Thank God he didn’t come to Milan.
Never like him one bit.
I don’t know which one is worse having him as a coach or having bartolol and whinning’s heir in here.
impose w “a heavy jersey”
what does that mean?
It means there’s pressure playing for Juve.
TY
ah. Juve #10