CorSport: Pioli and Maldini on trial as Milan suffer a 10-day nightmare

By Oliver Fisher -

AC Milan’s 2022 summer transfer window has once again come under fire as part of an introspection into the team’s bad start to the new year.

Corriere dello Sport (via MilanNews) recall how Milan restarted 2023 with a solid victory against Salernitana and a practically painless 85 minutes at home against Roma, but then found themselves catapulted into a nightmare by Ibanez’s goal which started the Giallorossi’s comeback, that Tammy Abraham completed.

Since then, Milan have been eliminated from the Coppa Italia by a 10-man Torino side, were forced to settle for a draw in Lecce after a woeful first half and were well beaten in the Supercoppa Italiana by Inter.

The certainties have vanished and it is now obvious that the Rossoneri are experiencing a mental problem, because since the collapse against Roma the team have not been able to react as they had often managed to do in the past.

The Diavolo have conceded nine goals in five games, while there is still nothing coming from the role of attacking midfielder as Charles De Ketelaere fails to impress and both he and Brahim Diaz appear to be too lightweight to support a 4-2-3-1. It is no coincidence that last year Pioli tried Kessie and Krunic in that role.

The inquest is not only aimed at the players though as Paolo Maldini and Ricky Massara have also ended up on trial for the summer window, which at present seems to be a disappointing one given it came a few weeks after winning the Scudetto.

Sustainability is the concept preached by Elliott Management and now by RedBird Capital which forces Maldini and Massara to make certain acquisitions and to work with a limited budget, but a large chunk of that went on De Ketelaere in the hope that his talent will emerge over time, though so far he has offered nothing.

In general, it wasn’t a good market: Kessie wasn’t replaced and three players who were perhaps too young and inexperienced arrived late in Vranckx, Thiaw and Dest, who haven’t yet had the chance to show their capabilities. Divock Origi is currently a flop, rounding off a market which currently looks difficult to defend.

Tags AC Milan

1 Comment

Comments are closed

Serie A Standings

Live football scores . Current table, fixtures & results.