The summer of 2024 was a big one for AC Milan as the management aimed to complete a solid squad. Ten signings arrived last year, but some obvious gaps remained.
After finishing second with 75 points last season, one of the priorities was strengthening the defense. Milan’s key signings included central defender Strahinja Pavlović from Salzburg and defensive midfielder Youssouf Fofana from Monaco.
Álvaro Morata and Tammy Abraham have been brought in to replace veteran Oliver Giroud, while Emerson Royal offers a new option for the right flank. Simon Kjaer did not renew his contract, and Stefano Pioli departed after five years and a Serie A title, with Paulo Fonseca stepping in as his replacement.
This article explores Milan’s prospects and key players with insights from betting sites like sportarena that is one of the most preferred and reliable sport betting related website in the international scenario.
Milan in Serie A
Before the start of the season, Milan was among the favourites to win the scudetto, with odds around 7.00-8.00, very close to those of Antonio Conte’s new Napoli. The top favourite was and remains Inter, with odds below 2.00, while Juventus follows with odds between 3.50 and 4.00.
However, Milan’s start to the season has been quite poor: in the opening game, Milan drew 2-2 at home against Torino, thanks to a brilliant goal from Noah Okafor. In the second round, the Rossoneri were defeated 2-1 by Parma, and a week later, another draw (2-2) against Lazio postponed their first victory of the season.
Upcoming matches will be crucial: Milan faces Venezia at home and then the derby against Inter, with Champions League music returning to San Siro for Milan-Liverpool midweek. Another slip could be costly for Fonseca, especially since Milan’s odds of winning Serie A have already risen to 12.00-15.00.
Milan in the Champions League
The 2024-25 season marks a new era in the Champions League, with the group stage replaced by a mini-league format. All teams will play eight matches, facing two teams from each ranking tier.
Milan, placed in the second tier, drew Liverpool and Real Madrid from the first tier, Bayer Leverkusen and Club Brugge from the second tier, Red Star Belgrade and Dinamo Zagreb from the third tier, and Girona and Slovan Bratislava from the fourth tier.
Overall, the draw was favourable for the Rossoneri: qualifying for the knockout stage is a realistic goal. According to bookmaker odds, finishing in the top eight seems difficult but not impossible.
Manchester City, Real Madrid, Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Inter, Barcelona, and Paris Saint-Germain are the top contenders. In the new Champions League format, teams finishing between ninth and twenty-fourth will enter the playoffs, making it crucial for Milan not to miss this opportunity.
Key players
Milan’s performance heavily relies on Rafael Leão. Despite some criticism, the Portuguese forward has amassed 59 goals and 51 assists in 213 appearances for the Rossoneri. In the first three games of the season, Leão provided the assist for Christian Pulisic’s equalizer against Parma and scored the equalizing goal against Lazio in Rome.
Despite some controversy, Leão has started the season on a positive note. Theo Hernández is also a key player for Milan: with 29 goals and 39 assists in 216 appearances, the full-back is an asset in the attacking phase, though his start to the season has been poor. Once the Frenchman regains full fitness, Milan will benefit from a crucial resource.
Additionally, Milan has found Franck Kessié’s replacement with some delay: the Ivorian was central to the balance of the 2021-22 Italian champions, and now Youssouf Fofana is expected to fulfill similar duties.
If the Frenchman meets expectations, Milan will have their breaking midfielder. In defense, Strahinja Pavlović could be a key player: the Serbian, who has already scored against Lazio, has started quite well.
Milan sought a central defender with better performance than Malick Thiaw, and the early signs are positive. The partnership with Fikayo Tomori could improve, potentially resolving another long-standing issue for the Rossoneri.
