Back in May 2022 AC Milan hoisted their 19th Scudetto to the sky in Sassuolo, and fast-forwarding to today there are few remnants of that team left.
La Gazzetta dello Sport goes back to 22 May 2022 when Milan celebrated after a 3-0 win at Sassuolo. Zlatan Ibrahimovic was still playing football, Stefano Pioli didn’t yet have a tattoo on his arm and the feeling was that it was a starting point rather than a destination.
That afternoon two years ago, Milan took to the field with Maignan in goal, Calabria, Kalulu, Tomori and Theo Hernandez in defence, Tonali, Krunic and Kessié in midfield, Saelemaekers, then Giroud and Leao in attack.
Five of that XI are no longer at Milan, while Calabria and Saelemaekers are not guaranteed a starting spot today. Maignan, Tomori, Theo and Leao remain, the pillars on which Milan bases its ambitions for the 2024-25 season.
The first to say goodbye was Franck Kessié, the engine of the midfield, who decided to try his luck at Barcelona when his deal expired and is now in Saudi Arabia. Last summer it was Sandro Tonali’s turn to pack his bags, as Newcastle came calling.
Rade Krunic’s role declined, and he went to Fenerbahçe in January. In recent months the goodbyes have been from Olivier Giroud, who moved to Los Angeles to end his career, and Pierre Kalulu, who was made official by Juventus just yesterday.
Maybe it will soon be Ismael Bennacer’s turn, who wasn’t a regular starter in the year of the Scudetto, but played a lot. There are not many survivors among the ‘reserves’, either: Fode Ballo-Touré is also destined to leave, Alessandro Florenzi is out for the year and Matteo Gabbia has done well since returning from a loan.
As mentioned, Calabria and Saelemaekers are still at Milan, but the former has a deal expiring in 10 months and the latter was not expected to return from Bologna but convinced Paulo Fonseca when he did. In short, only Maignan, Tomori, Hernandez and Leao remain as the core from that May day in 2022.
This article should be a long pow wow for Maldini’s Heir and Batholomeo and the likes.
Enjoy this forum.
Ha – that’s what I was thinking. If I have to hear “he was part of a scudetto-winning team” one more time…
According to them, one scudetto with minimal minutes makes a player A LEGEND. 😀 😀 😀 😀
GOAT even.
Bringing this up, stirring the pot before anyone even commented.
You’re really insecure, aren’t you?
Damn bro it’s been more than a year that we know that some fans are interested in football articles and some other fans are interested in budget articles, nothing new here. But thanks for the shoutout, look mom I’m famous.
Replacement should be meant to improve. How was defense last year? Worst than in 22. Midfield? Tonali Kessie Bennacer and krunic insured the necessary filter much better than last year. As forwards Brahim was replaced by Pulisic . Chuku did not work and okafor replaced Saelemakers. Altogether they bought 10 players but the team was weaker in my opinion
.
Even before reading your comment i was thinking whooo boy, here comes the usual suspects
We are literally under an article showing that this management has no clue how to build a winning roster but the yes men have nothing else to say than calling out other fans. As ACM1899 said, enjoy this forum.
And Mr negative will always complaint on whatever step this management take.
Even if in the end Milan win Scudetto with Fonseca, you lots will still have something to say.
No different than Inter.
There are a total of only 5 players left today from their squad that won the scudetto 12 months earlier in ’21.
Lautaro, Barella, Bastoni, De Vrij are the only players left from that season.
That’s the way things are in todays football. There are more markets and more opportunities for players to make money and it’s hard for any team to keep the same team for more than a couple years.
Plus outside of Kessie, Tonali and Romagnoli, the other players that left Milan were either old or they were not good anymore. Time waits for no one.
Far from dismantling.
*Forgot to add Darmian.
The problem is that back then we were sure that the “not good enough”-s will be replaced by muuuuch better players compared to what we eventually have today.
No real improvement from any new player (apart from Tij maybe). We were sure that we’re on our way back to glory, but only make us sad every summer since
Who was sure that we were back on our way back to glory?
About the not good enough replaced with much better players. Inter current squad is weaker than the one they had in 21. There are no Lukaku (best player in the league), Hakimi, Brozovic, Ericksen, Skriniar anymore on their team. The difference between Milan and Inter is that their remaining core players from back then elevated their game. Bastoni is better than back then, Barella is better, Lautaro is top 5 player in the world. Can you say the same thing about Milan core of remaining players. Theo, Leao, Maignan, Tomori, Kalulu, Bennacer and Calabria have all regressed.
The issue isn’t the new players, but the remaining players stagnating or regressing. But it’s easier to blame the new players, and say they have not improved the team.
I’m glad someone finally brought this up.
It should also be noted that, while he did screw up a bit in the 2021/22 season and seemed on his way out by october 2022, S.Inzaghi is a much better coach that given credit for.
“The issue isn’t the new players, but the remaining players stagnating or regressing. But it’s easier to blame the new players, and say they have not improved the team.”
I think there is more to it than the players themselves not improving.
Trying hard to get rid of all maldini signings LoL