One journalist has speculated that AC Milan’s owners Elliott Management will be happy if the team doesn’t reach a top four spot.
Monday’s defeat in Rome against Lazio relegated Milan to fifth place in the standings. After being crowned the honorary title of winter champions, the Rossoneri risk not qualifying for the next Champions League which will have huge implications on the budget.
It was back on February 13 in round 22 when the Rossoneri lost 2-0 to Spezia, a game that now does appear to have been the turning point, while Milan have lost at home to Juventus, Atalanta, Inter, Napoli and Lazio too.
Since round 19 (the halfway stage), Milan have gone from 2.26 points per game to 1.64, from 2.05 goals scored per game to 1.5, from 1.16 goals conceded per game to 1.36 with just 23 points racked up compared to Inter’s 38, Atalanta and Napoli’s 32 plus Juve and Lazio’s 27.
Leonardo Martinelli spoke about the Rossoneri’s current moment on Top Calcio 24 and revealed his belief that Elliott would actually be pleased if the team only make the Europa League.
“The club would be happy not to make the Champions League next year. It is true that the qualification would bring about forty million euros into the club’s coffers, but then there would be a need to make a team up to the competition,” he said (via CM.it).
“Not only that, the economic requests for the renewals of players like Donnarumma, Calhanoglu, Romagnoli, Kessie etc. would have to be satisfied. In the budget, it is no coincidence, they planned for the Europa League again. Ibrahimovic renewal? It’s a red herring: what should we do with the Sanremo presenter?”
