AC Milan’s season is not just at risk of fizzling out into a forgettable one, but it seems to be crashing and burning after the results of the last few weeks.
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As Calciomercato.com report, Milan will end the season with no Scudetto after a very weak defence attempt, no Coppa Italia following the defeat to Torino at the first hurdle, no Supercoppa after a heavy defeat by Inter and no Champions League final for the same reason.
If the season were to end today and any punishment put on Juventus were to apply for next season, Milan would not secure a spot in the group stage of the next edition of the Champions League, which represents a big backwards step.
RedBird Capital and owner Gerry Cardinale have always been clear: fourth place is a minimum, as it is fundamental for the club’s accounts. Then, judgements start from whether or not this objective has been achieved.
Not only the final league table will be decisive, because if the Rossoneri were to qualify for Champions League not on its own merits (i.e. through a Juve punishment) this would not absolve everyone of blame regardless.
The Rossoneri ownership are not satisfied with the almost non-existent contribution provided by the players selected and purchased during the last summer transfer window, which falls on Paolo Maldini and Ricky Massara.
Charles De Ketelaere is an example of this with a huge chunk of the budget going on a player who has made no contribution but must be persisted with because of the profuse investment and the need to give a young talent second chance.
There is great esteem placed in the professionalism of Stefano Pioli, with whom relations are excellent, though he will inevitably also be the subject of evaluations in the light of the verdicts that Milan’s last three games will issue.
Without the Champions League -, an objective on which the entire Rossoneri environment is concentrated to the maximum for the next two and a half weeks – nothing can be excluded.
