AC Milan have been as many as seven points behind Juventus this season, but they are now three points ahead and have snatched second spot in the battle to finish runners-up to Inter.
As La Gazzetta dello Sport writes, in the last eight league games Milan have amassed 17 points compared to Juve’s seven. In 2024, Stefano Pioli’s side pushed hard with tactical breakthroughs and new beliefs while their rivals from up the A4 collapsed.
Milan’s recovery actually began as early as December. After a black October and a November with signs of recovery, the change of pace arrived in the last month of the year.
The Rossoneri started with the victory in Frosinone and then won against Monza and Sassuolo, hitting two roadblocks in the meantime (the defeat against Atalanta away from home and the 2-2 draw with Salernitana).
The new year started even better with three successes and nine points, but Juve also continued to travel at pace. That was until the turning point on January 27, nine games ago.
Thanks to the away victory against Lecce, Juve had in fact reached the summit of the Serie A table thanks to the Supercoppa which forced Inter to postpone a league match. It seems like a long time ago, but you just have to go back less than two months.
Juve’s ephemeral advantage at the top did not last very long: in the following round, the 22nd, the Bianconeri drew against Empoli and the Rossoneri against Bologna, while Inter prepared for the direct clash the following day by winning against Fiorentina, and therefore overtaking Juve again.
From that 27th January onwards the free fall of Max Allegri’s men began, who not only gradually lost contact with Inter – now completely off the radar at +17 – but began to watch their backs as Pioli and his side had second place in his sights.
After the draw with Empoli, Juve’s defeat against Inter came after 18 consecutive games without a loss (16 in the league and two in the Coppa Italia). Milan took advantage of this and went from -7 to -4.
Another game, another step backwards for the Bianconeri: the defeat against Udinese allowed Milan to claw the gap back to just one point, while the victory against Frosinone – the only one in Juve’s last eight matches – moved them back to four points ahead.
In the following two matchdays the Rossoneri made their move, which came in conjunction with the 2-2 draw against Atalanta and was strengthened on the 29th matchday, with Juventus’ 0-0 draw against Genoa.
The gap between #ACMilan and Juventus was as high as seven points six games ago, but now the Rossoneri have overtaken the Bianconeri.
[via @Gazzetta_it] pic.twitter.com/47qjoeRaE9
— MilanData📊 (@acmilandata) March 12, 2024
Milan are now second and as mentioned have a three-point advantage over third-placed Juve, while fifth (Roma) are eight points behind. The team from Turin have just seven points in their last eight games, and they are now watching over their shoulders again.
They have allowed the fifth-place team to come back from -17 to -8 and Milan to go from -7 to +3. The Diavolo themselves are among the best teams in the league today, with 17 points in their last eight games.
Only Daniele De Rossi’s reborn Roma (19 points), Thiago Motta’s Bologna (22) and Simone’s Inzaghi’s Inter (22) did better. It is a turning point which for Milan came about thanks to the tweak to a 4-1-4-1, the resurgence of Rafael Leao and the continued contribution of the summer signings.
Milan has had a good run of results over the last 2 months to a point where some are calling for Pioli to stay, yet his good run of results is still short of the run Motta has with Bologna with much weaker squad.
As good as Roma has been under De Rossi over the 9 games he has coached them (7wins, 1draw, 1loss) they are still 2 points behind last season points at the same stage. That’s how bad they were under Moirinho this year. But the coach wasn’t the problem according to some delusional fans.
Juventus squad is mediocre. Where are all those people that were trying to argue that Napoli and Juventus have better squads than Milan, just so they don’t give credit to the new management and their signings? They were saying that players like Lobotka, Locatelli and Rabiot will walk into Milan’s starting 11. LOL.
The difference between Milan and Inter is Lautaro and the coaches, and Lautaro doesn’t make them 15 points better.
I think we are doing exceptionally well.
Just think back a few months ago ,and then now the form of Olivier Giroud pulisic .lotus cheek
Pulisic and reindeers and of course Theo Hernandez, and refeol leao ..
We must give our manager pioli huge credit for that ..Yes we could Finnish 2nd in the league.
If we could get to the final of Europa league then this to me would definitely be a successful season .
“Just think back a few months ago ,and then now the form of Olivier Giroud pulisic .lotus cheek
Pulisic and reindeers and of course Theo Hernandez, and refeol leao ..”
Few months ago we faced the likes of Dortmund, PSG and Newcastle in Europe, right now we faced Rennes, a 10 men Slavia Prague and Roma, so OF COURSE we’re gonna look better.
PSG aside, we have yet to make a convincing win against a top side even those who have a worse squad than ours.
Reaching the EL final is not enough, we have to win it or at least show we could have won it, but reaching a final and then losing 3-0 or 4-0 would be mediocre and unacceptable.
Well I think our breakthrough came when we got pulisiç, we stopped relying only on Rafa, now our both wings are a threat to any team, unlike before we rely only on the left wing, what we need now is a solid strong CF and a strong DM then we are good to go, I just pray we make that important signing at the next transfer window
No prizes for finishing second. Pioli needs to move on in my opinion.
What people need to recognise is that, Inter, (unless they have a catastrophic collapse which is highly unlikely), will be wearing a second star before the greater club. Pioli has had the main input for signings with no Maldini or Masara influence. We were destined for failure from the first encounter with inter. Additionally, we have still suffered with the same amount of injuries at the same stage of the season every season under Mr Pioli’s tenure.
100% facts,as capello said you cant even compare juves squad with milan and inter
Assuming we don’t face any penalties -Pioli stays only if he wins the UEL. So like a 5-10% chance.
If we are penalized and out of Europe I’d assume management will keep him and he’ll finish his contract off in 1yr.
You all are talking trash. IMO Pioli has done well this season and he is staying.
But becasue of the hatred you all have for him you wouldn’t want him to stay.
I see no coach like de zerbi or Motta (A season wonder coaches) doing more than what he has done for this team and the club.
To me he is staying and it will surprise you all.
We don’t rely solemnly on Rafa anymore, pulisic is now a force and am really happy for that