“Something must be done” – Vitiello labels Milan ‘unwatchable’ in ‘appeal’ to management

Antonio Vitiello has not held back in his criticism of AC Milan, branding them ‘unwatchable’ in the past few weeks.

Milan and Juventus played out a result on Sunday night that was in many ways useful for both sides. The gap to Roma and Como in fifth place is six points, which with four games to go means only another six points (due to head-to-head advantage) are needed to lock in top four.

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While the defence stood firm again, the stalemate with the Bianconeri highlighted more worries about the attacking department. Alexis Saelemaekers hit the bar, though that was the only real clear chance as the forwards once again struggled to generate much threat, impeded by lack of service too.

‘An appeal to the entire club and the coach’

Vitiello published his weekly column for MilanNews and he chose to highlight the magnitude of work that needs to be done in the summer to correct the course of a team in ‘decline’.

“Best wishes for a speedy recovery to Luka Modric. It’s a huge shame for the Croatian league; he deserved to end his season on the pitch, as he has consistently done all season,” he said.

“A fractured cheekbone will mean Luka’s season with AC Milan will end early, while his World Cup participation is not at risk. We hope to see him again with AC Milan next year. For these final four games of the year, Max Allegri will be without the great Modric, and will have to choose between Jashari and Ricci.

“On the one hand, the Swiss has always been seen as the natural replacement for Luka in central midfield, but the coach should keep an eye on Ricci, as he would represent the most reliable option. However, Jashari represents the future of the midfield, and the opportunity to exploit him in these final matches is a great one.

“Given the high spending last summer, it would be important to demonstrate that the €35 million invested wasn’t wasted. The Swiss’s season was also severely impacted by a fibula injury in August, but he has a chance to capitalize on this final stretch.

“The important thing is to try to earn the six points needed to qualify for the Champions League as soon as possible. Then we can finally think about the future, where we need to strengthen this team properly.

“The last three months have been very disappointing, and people are increasingly tired of seeing a Milan team ‘participating’ in league seasons rather than actually trying to win them. A Champions League finish can never be celebrated like a trophy, and this must serve as a warning for the future.

“Since February, Milan have declined in every way. Few points, an attack that resembles that of a relegation-bound team, and a persistent play. Until December, something different was evident. There was a team that defended well but also attempted to play and create scoring opportunities.

“In the last three months, however, we have witnessed a significant decline in play, intensity, and offensive output. Suffice it to say that AC Milan have scored a paltry one goal in their last four league games.

“The performances of Leao, Pulisic, Nkunku, Fullkrug, and Gimenez are truly heartbreaking. Something must be done to restore Milan to being a competitive team. An appeal to the entire club and the coach.”