AC Milan will be up against Cagliari in the final game of the season tonight, knowing that a win would get them over the line for the Champions League.
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The season has been long, as well as filled with ups and downs, but now Milan have a chance to end it on a good note. Everything is in their own hands and as Gazzetta dello Sport pointed out this morning (see featured image), the fact that there is even some concern is telling.
Perfect conditions
Of course, as the pink newspaper begins, missing out on the Champions League would be a proper disaster. Especially since Milan have all of the odds in their favour right now, only in need of a win against Cagliari to get it done.
It’s clear that finishing outside the top four would result in a revolution at the club, as opposed to just a few ‘handovers’ between directors. Recent rumours suggest that there is a ‘war’ at the top of the club, with Allegri and Ibrahimovic being incompatible, so a lot of work would be needed.
That said, Milan are now just one step away from the goal they set in the summer, i.e. finishing in the top four. They will be up against a team, Cagliari, that have nothing to play for and the Rossoneri also have H2H advantage over Roma and Como.
In short, Milan would have to do some serious damage to themselves to fail with their mission.
Rightful concerns
The Scudetto dream only lasted for about half a season, reaching its peak after the win against Inter in the second derby. There, presumably, the pressure became too much for the players and Allegri as Milan suddenly had to show that they were title-worthy.
Allegri was quick to shift focus back to the Champions League but despite this, the struggles continued. Normally, tonight’s game would be a walk in the park beyond the usual ‘all opponents are difficult’ talk, but now there is rightfully some concern.
Cagliari are safe and sound in terms of the relegation zone, but like the other small teams, they’re not even thinking about stepping aside. Why would you switch off just because you have reached the goal? After all, winning and causing upsets is rather fun…
In the last six games, Fabio Pisacane’s men have defeated Cremonese, Atalanta, and Torino, while drawing against Bologna. They aren’t ending the season in a relaxed manner, as such, looking to build on the confidence and improve on the foundations.
Allegri at stake
For many, the game will be the last in red and black for Allegri, but the truth is that the future is far from certain. The national team is still lurking, but with qualification for the Champions League, the reasons for Milan to sack him would more or less disappear.
It’s no surprise, therefore, that Allegri has described this as the ‘match of the year’. The 3-5-2 formation is a given, but from next season, much more will be needed in the event of Champions League qualification. Max knows it.