Michele Criscitiello believes that AC Milan should not yet push the panic button after a difficult first game against Torino but they must read the warning signs.
Milan’s 2024-25 Serie A season began in a dramatic way as they battled from two goals behind to draw 2-2 at San Siro against Torino on Saturday night, but it looked like being a whole lot worse at one point.
Preseason wins over Manchester City, Real Madrid, Barcelona and Monza had fans dreaming, but it quickly turned into a nightmare in what was a very lethargic and at times sloppy performance until the final few minutes.
Torino led 2-0 through a Malick Thiaw own-goal and a Duvan Zapata header, but the substitutions injected life as Alvaro Morata opened his account for the Diavolo with an instinctive finish, and then Noah Okafor thumped in a volley in added time to complete the comeback and earn a draw.
Criscitiello spoke in his weekly column for Sportitalia – whom he is the chief editor for – and as part of it he reflected on what was a rollercoaster first game of the season for Milan.
“Milan had deceived everyone with the matches against City, Real and Barcelona but there are still people who don’t understand that friendlies are worthless,” he began.
“The match against Torino is also worthless, of course, because half the team was missing, because you can’t be well on August 17 but something needs to be clarified immediately. Fonseca must get it into his head that in Italy defence is more important than attack.
“The atmosphere at San Siro is not great. If at the first match of the season the grumbles start because of a mistake by Leao, we won’t get there in December. If Calabria is substituted and the whole stadium boos your captain it’s not a good sign. A legacy of past mistakes.
“The club is partly to blame. Late arrivals, for sure. You can’t roll out the red carpet at the end of the first half for the latest arrival who is presented 2 hours before the match. You can’t start the season again with the number 9 still on Jovic’s shoulders.
“Morata is good but alone he’s not enough. A striker is needed and Jovic must leave Milanello. If Toro had won 0-3 no one would have said anything. In the end we saw a glimpse of the real Milan but matches must be played from the 1st minute and not from the 89th minute. Especially if it’s your home debut.
“Vanoli celebrating at the end of the match for the draw, on the other hand, is an extreme act of weakness for Toro. The point at San Siro is fine but if you’re ahead 0-2 with one minute to go, what are you celebrating? You’re Torino playing in Milan and not the last of the newly promoted teams. Beautiful game, strong team, mentality to be reviewed.”
I agree with you. Leao needs to be bench something to make him wake up. He threw away two good goals without remorse
Without remorse??? What’s with these people who keep bashing Leão regardless of what really happens? Leão was utterly devastated when he missed the goals. He went down on his knees with his head between his hands. His facial expression was very sad and upset. He remained upset for a while. That was really visible, so, did you even watch the match to make this ABSURD statement that Leão missed without remorse???
Leão against Torino was what his last name means, a lion. He tried really hard. He tried to feed his companions, he tried to score, the tracked back and tried to help the defense. He wasn’t “lazy” at all as people keep saying. The one thing that was missing was the finishing (that’s what Fonseca said by the way, correctly). It is not uncommon that players are uncalibrated at the very first game of a season, after vacations. Leão did a lot but couldn’t bury the two goals he should have scored. Yes, it’s a pity, but it’s hardly a reason to bench Leão. Also, Alexis was not an efficient left back; Leão always does better when Theo is playing (and in match form) as the two of them have outstanding chemistry. Our offense is not as good when Leão is not playing, even when Leão himself is not doing well. Leão was double and even triple marked on Saturday (like it always happens when he plays); this opens space for the others.
Bench Leão? You are out of your mind. He needs playing time so that his finishing gets more calibrated. Leão looked hungry; he wants to help the team and I’m sure he will have a wonderful season.
Leão is our best player. Yes, he is irregular but he is also capable of outstanding plays and decisive scores and assists. Why do our fans like to bash Leão? Is it racism? Sometimes I wonder.
Big fact man. These old heads love to jump on him first chance they get
Bench Leao when what he needs is playing time to make him sharper again? Dude you’re clueless as fvxk.
Overreaction.
Milan conceded 2 goals on individual mistakes.
1st goal, Tomori press and gets fooled by a Zapata dummy, and then he and Thiaw like dumb and dumber couldn’t clear the ball.
2nd goal, the space cadet Thiaw saw a ghost, lefr Zapata free and started marking the ghost. Don’t know why if Pavlovic isn’t ready, Gabbia didn’t start over Thiaw.
Offensively, Milan missed 3,4 great chances to score. Leao on 3 occasions, Pulisic one and Morata on that penalty was way too slow. If you wanna win your so-called best players got to finish most of those chances.
Although, Fonseca needs to stop with the Pulisic at 10 experiment. The team lacks balance with too many forwards and some of them don’t bother running back, which leaves Milan vulnerable on counterattack, which was how Torino scored the goals. Pulisic is a forward, not a midfielder. Play a midfielder as a 10 to balance the team out. Reijnders is the only creature midfielder, Play him at 10.
I agree that a striker, and a lefr back are needed before the end of the month. Jovic and Okafor are not strikers who can play alone when Morata isn’t available. And God help us if something happens to Theo.
Best post in a while. Thanks. You are almost 100% right (I disagree on one small point; see below).
For me, we almost lost because Thiaw is terrible and was almost fully responsible for one of their goals (there were other failures but it wouldn’t have been a goal without Thiaw’s blunder) and was partially responsible for the other one. With Pavlovic instead of Thiaw, we’ll be better, and yes, Gabbia should definitely be way ahead of Thiaw in the pecking order. Actually I think we should just get rid of Thiaw and keep Kalulu instead of the other way around.
While I agree it’s an overreaction (haha, we did better than Conte’s Napoli, and Inter drew too; 7 of the 10 teams that placed in the top ten last season, dropped 2 or 3 points in this first round; it’s a delayed onset of pre-season due to the Euro championship, so we are not ready but most teams aren’t, either), I am concerned for Fonseca’s lack of judgement in keeping Thiaw for 60 minutes and playing Alexis as LB.
I think those two blunders are worse than having Puli as a 10. I actually think that Liberali would be a better 10 than Puli although he is so young. It’s hard to put a kid his age in the first team in official games against big grown men, but damn, the kid is really good!!! If not now, in a couple of years we’ll have a phenomenal CAM in Liberali. I hope no big rich club snatches him from us. We’ll be set for CAM if we keep Liberali.
The one thing I don’t entirely agree with you is that Okafor is not a striker who can play alone. He was a striker before we bought him; had played way more games as ST than as LW. Pioli put him as LW. Okafor has scored more goals per minute than any other Milan player, last season. He was given few minutes but still scored a lot. I think if we were to trust him a bit more as a ST, he would be able to back Morata up, even as a lone striker. Sure, he is even better when he is side by side with another striker, but I think he can develop into a lone striker.
And then, if not him to back Morata up, who? Abraham? I think he is too injury-prone, might turn into another Origi, play 5 games, get injured, collect a salary without helping the team. Abraham is a risk. There are no very good and affordable strikers in the market; we are 12 days from closing the market, I think we won’t find a better solution than just trying to redevelop Okafor as a lone striker to back Morata up. Also, eventually Camarda will be ready. Saturday with Milan Futuro he scored 2 goals and hit the crossbar once, playing against grown professional men. Sure, Serie C, but still!
We need to play down the expectations a bit. It’s Fonseca’s first year with Milan. We have a work in progress with a new coach and new players joining, and our young and brilliant guys from Milan Futuro still need to beef up some muscle. I think our goal should be to remain top 4 and remain in the CL this season. I think our goal next season should be the Scudetto. To win the Scudetto, we need Inter to decline a bit. We can improve, but we can’t magically make Inter do poorly. I hate to acknowledge it, but I must: Inter is currently more complete and more impressive than we are, so winning the Scudetto this season is still a tall order. But I think Inter will eventually decline and we will keep improving.
Do you guys think Thiaw is terrible because he’s just not there quality wise, or is it because his head is elsewhere? If the latter, time for him to leave.
*Correction: Time for him to leave either way LOL
Glad you noticed it yourself. 😉
I think he has a really low football IQ. He is so gaffe-prone! I think there is no quality there. He is a terrible player. He doesn’t belong; should not be wearing the Milan jersey. I’d ship him out for free! Send him to Newcastle for free as a “gift” haha, a Trojan Horse; when we play Newcastle in the CL we can count on Thiaw’s own goals.
No he has tons of quality and a team should definitely pay 20-30 million for him.
the thing about Okafor is that he was a CF in a Red Bull 4-2-2-2 system
This guy is right on some things but also overreacting a bit. That starting lineup was puzzling. Not sure why Theo could not have started. He was playing with France in the Euros, and then a two week vacation, I don’t think that puts him out of shape to the point where he can’t start. Same with Morata. They both could’ve and should have started. Once we get Pavlovic, Emerson and Fofana in the starting lineup we will be fine and have a strong bench as well.
Need to have Morata and Theo starting. End of story. Maybe we need a capable deputy for Theo? But that’ll depend on players exiting to other teams, and them signing a deputy. But I never want to see Saelamaekers again as LB.
Pavlovic, Emerson and Fofana obviously need to start sometime in the future.
I still think we need to sign a deputy LB, another midfielder and one more striker.
Stop attacking with three midfielders close to the box. At least not in the first half when things are all even.
Leo and thaiw they are our problem in this particular match.for Leo he missed important chances which cost the team as a world class player you can’t miss two important chances at list one chance,so if we are playing final we could has lost it because of Leo it . for thaiw he always lost focus I don’t understand him the ways he run this day like I’m tall is not about tall is about IQ .
Terrible journalist. Jovic is a reliable goalscorer. It would be madness to get rid of him.