AC Milan face Atalanta at San Siro tonight and they will welcome Charles De Ketelaere back, who has really come out his shell since making the move in the summer.
Corriere della Sera (via PianetaMilan) recall how De Ketelaere last year failed to establish himself under Stefano Pioli and thus decided to move to Atalanta on loan with an option to buy, where Gian Piero Gasperini is getting the best out of him.
Atalanta are probably the worst possible opponent at the moment for Milan because they arrive off the back of six consecutive victories and this season they have already beaten the Rossoneri twice.
A third consecutive defeat tonight would open a new state of crisis for Pioli’s team, an alarm which paradoxically could be triggered by De Ketelaere who is a player that Milan own.
They will not own him for much longer though because in June Atalanta will buy him permanently for €22m, after Milan paid €35m for him in 2022.
“He wasn’t rubbish,” Pioli said yesterday about De Ketelaere in the press conference on the eve of the game, and there must be some regrets about the way things went.
The Belgian had a very difficult first year in Italy and he has to take some responsibility for that. However, Milan certainly made mistakes in how they handled him and they perhaps gave up on him too early as well.
CDK will try to leave his mark at San Siro tonight, having not scored there yet. Between the league and cup competitions he has already scored 10 times, so Milan will have to pay close attention.
If I was Moncada and the rest of the Milan management, I would swallow my pride and bring him back, assure him he is the future, and a cog in the new project, they allowed Pioli to mess him up, and also descredit their scouting and work, they should have put their foot down and insisted Pioli should fully integrate him into the team, Pioli is not a good coach…
yeah and play where? in the sky?
We dont use 2 strikers and we never will, learn basic tactics first
Sorry El Professor, I will take classes from you, a club does not base it’s playing style or tactics solely on one system, it should be flexible and diverse, even the 14231 we play to an extent is the cause of our problems, the team is not solid and compact, when did you even start to watch football, and much less support Milan, every sensible person knows we need to get him back, if not we will regret it it’s not only in the strikers position he can play, it was Pioli and a dumb ass like you that feels he can only play in one postion, or that we should only stick to 1 formation, he has vision, size, tactical awareness, and technical quality, to play in the attacking midfielder role, he played it well at Brugge, but because Pioli and fools like you did not give him a chance, he could not perform, he can even play as an attacking trident, I just hope Pioli leaves at the end of the season, and we get a coach with vision and courage, so that all knowing idiots like you will see that a club can have multiple forms of playing, pls try and mind your business , so rhat your ignorance and stupidity is not exposed, make your comments regarding the article and mind your business, I have a right to speak my mind…
What was your opinion of him last year?
Also telling someone to mind their business because they disagree with your comment is super out of touch and a little bit entitled. Sure you’re allowed to speak your mind but others are allowed to comment back. In fact that relationship of posts and responses is how messages boards/comment sections work.
Usman we all are milanistas here, if someone on here is too mean or “stupid” for you let us know and we’ll call you a wambulance
First of all my opinion of him last year was not negative, I knew him before he came to Milan, I watch other leagues , so I knew he was talented, and I know how Pioli thinks and behaves, how many players he has burned, so I knew he was going to click any where he went, when you are trying to counter someones arguement keep it professional, never personal, if you had bothered to read and understand what he said, he insulted me, but as always most of the time people do not respect other people here, regarding the wambulance you mentioned, I think it would suit your father better, so mind your business ……
No one insulted you, just challenged your opinion (maybe a bit of teasing too). You’re too sensitive my friend, this is a public forum, you’re going to get feedback on your post.
And never will? What kind of idi0tic statement is that?
Pioli wouldn’t but seems like he’s out this summer. New coach, new ideas and formations.
We don’t have a buy-back option on him and are facing a coaching change in the summer. CDK’s price with the CL-tied bonus and future resale value would cover a lot of ground in the search for a new striker.
Atalanta has an option on him, which they can only activate if the player agrees to join them, that’s how it is, if the player does not want the destination, either them or Milan can’t do anything, he has to agree to stay first, those are the rules