AC Milan’s win over Inter last night means their season stays alive, and they have Luka Jovic to thank in large part for that.
As La Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below) write, Milan have a chance of winning the cup and qualifying for the next edition of the Europa League thanks to a player that was left out of the 2024-25 Champions League squad list.
One of the many paradoxes of this very strange season was last night’s game. Firstly when Jovic jumped higher than Darmian to head in and make it 1-0, and then when he took advantage of a corner that wasn’t cleared to double the lead en-route to an eventual 3-0 win.
The strange thing is in the very fact that Jovic was on the pitch from the start. In the winter transfer window the club invested over €30m in Santiago Gimenez, and in the last summer window they had duelled with Roma until the final hours of negotiations to get Tammy Abraham on loan.
Before that, the striker role had been entrusted to Morata. Yesterday, in the only match that could restore a bit of pride to the red half of the city and at the same time reopen the doors to Europe, Tammy and Gimenez were on the bench. And Morata watched (possibly) on TV from Istanbul.
When that first goal hit the back of the net, Jovic seemed to celebrate with anger. He jumped and slid towards the corner flag without a hint of a smile. That’s the man he is, a tough guy who appears in moments of sporting battle.
It’s not like his time at the club has given him great joy, either. He arrived as a reserve striker in the final hours of the 2023 summer mercato after a series of missed deals, and helped Stefano Pioli’s Milan to get second place in the standings with important goals.
The Serbian was Olivier Giroud’s deputy but he still scored nine goals, six of which came in the league. This season he has been further relegated to third choice (sometimes fourth, with Francesco Camarda even starting games) but doesn’t give up.
As mentioned, Jovic was excluded from the Champions League squad after being given a renewal and the No.9 shirt not long before. Then, a groin injury also compromised his season. Yet, he reappeared in style at the end with a quartet of goals: against Napoli, Fiorentina and the Nerazzurri (x2).
After the game, he said to Mediaset: “It was a really important game for us. We are not doing well in the championship and in the derby we had to show our qualities. We did it, and now we are going to Rome!”
To yesterday’s joy he can add a new future: Luka’s contract is expiring, but the club has a renewal option. On this form, it is difficult not to use it.
I keep telling you guys, Jovic is a natural born striker. In my opinion his instincts and a ‘nose’ for a goal are much finer than Inzaghi’s. And his game and playing style is much more useful for a team than Fillipo’s back then. All we need is a coach who will work properly with Jovic and give him a true chance so he can gain consistency and we are fine in the forward department. Jovic is also a person of good caracter a total opposite of greedy Morata, Abraham (who stills the ball from Pulisic only to miss penalty). He is accomplished player who was treated quite badly so far in AC Milan where even Camarda from a youth team was given much more chances (to show nothing) in front of Jovic who played at Real Madrid, for god’s sake. Just give Jovic a proper chance, support him and he will very soon become an idol of all tifosi. Man is a goal scoring machine but if you put him on the bench he cannot score from there. It’s simple as that!
Jović saved us multiple times last season yet they loaned Abraham and spent almost 50 millions combined on Morata and Gimenez while Luka was deemed unwanted and not up to our standard. Even forcing him out despite extending his contract.
Gabbia came back from loan last season and had immedate impact on our defensive performance. Starting this season he was again pushed aside although statistics clearly showed we concede less when he’s around. Yet they are talking about a complete defensive revolution, looking at players like Mosquera. A defender on the team that was on the verge of relegation just weeks ago.
It’s downplaying important players while overspending for deadwood. Amateur clowns.
*47
That’s why I don’t believe in the, “you don’t fit into my plan” narrative. How complicated can a plan be that a player can’t fit into it? Leao not being able to press is the exception not the rule but think of how many players we’ve treated unfairly because they supposedly didn’t fit into a coach’s strategy. In the end they keep spending and spending while the solution lies within.
I really want the man to succeed, despite a painfully long time enduring a ‘you aren’t good enough’ treatment from the coaches, he remained useful as well as humble to prove that he in fact is more than capable of providing crucial goals and games. Hope the management wouldn’t become their cheap lowballing selves on his contract and salary!
As a reserve striker both Jovic and Tammy could work at Milan. The problem is, you can’t count on these performances to be consistent with both having been spotty.
When they come in as auxiliary strikers and play in the crowded box theres more space to exploit. Both have shown to be decent in build up play. Both have goals in them clearly, but who will be more consistent?
From the financial aspect you’d have to go for Jovic, wouldn’t you? Milan wouldn’t pay 4mil a season to a reserve striker. Even Reijnders is making less than that. But if you choose a reserve striker and the other one goes away, you still need to bring another striker in.
Tough call to make.