This season, AC Milan just need to qualify for the Champions League. It sounds rather basic, but the fact is simple.
When Massimiliano Allegri arrived, his statements were only about the Champions League, rather than professing a dream to win the Scudetto in his first season back. Over the past few months, where the title has certainly become more of a possibility, Allegri has kept to the same idea.
Rather than getting carried away, his focus has remained on the top four, and Milan may even hope that they can get an extra safety net.
How eight becomes nine
Given the performances in recent weeks, the dream of the Scudetto has faded, and their advantage in the top four race has deteriorated. Of course, there is still eight points to catch, and in that respect, the Rossoneri are still solid.
However, if they can get some extra safety, they would not say not to it.
So, as MilanNews reports, there are a few eyes on the UEFA coefficients. At present, Germany sit second behind England on 17,428 whilst Italy sit in fourth on 16,857.
Tonight, Bologna and Fiorentina will have a chance to push that number up, and with that push the number of Italian spots to five.
If that were the case, it would give the Diavolo an extra point to manoeuvre in the European race. Saying that, if they finished in fifth this season, something would’ve had to have gone terribly wrong for Milan to finish that low.
Things are already going terribly wrong, with a banged-up and weak offense that suffers from stubborn tactics by the head coach with players out of position and being ran to the ground due to the short roster (managers’ fault) and lack of sufficient time to properly heal our chronically injured players. I won’t be surprised if in the last 12 games of the season we drop lots of points and drop out of the top 4.
As for top 5 in terms of UEFA coefficient, that’s a pipe dream. After the elimination of Napoli, Juve and Inter from the Champions League, to suppose that Atalanta, Fiorentina and Bologna will rescue Italy’s coefficient above those of Spain and Germany is really just wishful thinking.
No, the UCL spots for Italy will be only 4, and we definitely risk dropping out of top 4 with this extremely handicapped offense. So far we did relatively decently on the table but this may change rapidly with our banged-up and/or weak offense.
Como are surging. Juve will no longer play in the Champions League and will be able to focus on Serie A. Inter has already locked one spot so it’s just 3 spots. As Napoli’s injured players recover they may be very competitive for one of the three, and then Milan, Juve, Roma and Como will be fighting for the last two. Those other teams are not facing the injury crisis and the lack of offensive depth we have, so, I’m not very optimistic for how this season will end.
I’m pretty sure they’ll finish in the top 4. I’m doubting they’ll stay in second. Is the season a great success if they finish 3rd or 4th?
The offense is completely nullified by the head coach. We will never have a proper plan to score with Allegri at the helm.
Top 4 lead has deteriorated…. how?
8 points up from 5th, and ALL the contenders bar Napoli have yet to play Inter and each other.
These reports are so negative.
Devils advocate, do
You really see this Milan beating Napoli, Juventus, Inter, and Atalanta?
Those head to heads essentially evaporate the 8 point lead…
Against the big teams, Milan has the edge.
It’s the smaller teams that they lose focus and drop points against. It’s been like that all season, I see no reason to consider otherwise. The pool of relegation-fighting teams Milan haven’t played is decreasing.
Of the teams fighting for top four, I think Napoli has the easiest schedule. The rest seem to have four tough games against top tier (teams currently in the top 6) opponents. That said, they can always mess up against lower teams.