AC Milan were hoping for an awakening at the Stadio Olimpico last night against Lazio, but a second half implosion meant the game nearly ended with yet another defeat.
Corriere della Sera (via MilanNews) reflect on Milan’s chaotic night against an ‘equally confused Lazio’, stating that it is not just the result that is worrying but rather the list of negative signs, from an absent style of play to defensive fragility and now a saga involving Rafael Leao and Theo Hernandez.
The paper speaks of a ‘split Milan’. Everything revolves around the strong decision made by Paulo Fonseca to leave on the bench the two players who are best in the squad on paper in Leao and Theo. Filippo Terracciano and Christian Pulisic started on the left side instead.
After a first half that ended with Milan in the lead thanks to a goal from Strahinja Pavlovic, the only bastion of a disorganised Rossoneri defense, at the beginning of the second half Milan melted like snow in the sun and conceded twice in a few minutes.
At that point Fonseca went back on his steps and sent on Theo, Leao plus Tammy Abraham and Yunus Musah. The Portuguese winger and the English striker immediately made their mark, with the latter setting up the former for the 2-2 goal.
A saga ignited immediately after with Leao and Theo remaining away from the cooling break meeting with the rest of the team, staying on the other side of the pitch. Both the left-back and Fonseca poured cold water on things after the game, but it feels like a ‘polemical gesture’.
The possible mutiny of the two top players is however only the tip of the iceberg of a first part of the season that has been truly a nightmare for Milan in every aspect. First of all, the results: two points in three games, the worst start for the Rossoneri team since the 2011-12 season.
Then there is the defensive phase that, instead of improving compared to last season, seems to have worsened. For the third consecutive game, Milan have conceded at least two goals, something that hadn’t happened in 40 years when Ilario Castagner was in charge.
In this sense, the break is heaven for Fonseca who, however, won’t have the chance to work with the best players in his squad and in particular with Leao and Theo with whom he must try to mend a possible rift. Liverpool and Inter await, after the home game against Venezia.