AC Milan may be five points behind their city rivals Inter, but they can not and will not give up on their title dream.
As La Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below) write, Milan rarely lose, and that’s their strength. Draws don’t win league titles – Massimiliano Allegri’s team have eight so far, the most among the top six – but their only defeat being in round one demonstrates Milan’s resilience and consistency,
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Milan are methodical in their approach, and always focused on results, and they only have the league to contend with. They won’t waste energy or risk injuries elsewhere, in Europe or the Coppa Italia, and this is perhaps their most significant advantage.
Another detail: Allegri has won six league titles, five with Juventus and one with Milan. He knows how to manage critical moments and maximise positive periods. Chivu is his first experience as coach of a major club.
The opposite of Inter
Milan don’t attack their opponents or sway them with possession like Inter. They wait for the right opening and the right moment. Allegri’s style of football emphasises defensive focus, even though Gasperini’s Roma have conceded the fewest goals, and Roma have let in less.
Milan have conceded 17 goals, two fewer than Inter. It is a minimal difference, but significant in its own right. A small statistic explains Milan quite well, especially in light of the other night’s match in Rome. Among the top six, Allegri’s team boast the highest number of clearances: 22.4 on average per match. Como are just behind, with 21.2.
Luka Modric and co. have ‘cleaned Milan of last season’s impurities’. Modric hasn’t shone like he did at the start of the season these past few weeks – he’s 40, and it would be surprising if he hadn’t slowed down a bit – but the Rossoneri expect him to flourish soon.
Niclas Füllkrug has already shown he can get involved. Mike Maignan and Rafael Leao know what it takes to win the title having done so in 2021-22, but the Portuguese is struggling for his best form at the moment.
Unlike Inter, Milan has no obligation to win the Scudetto. Their goal was, and remains, a return to the Champions League. No one will blame Allegri for not winning this season, if anything they’ll do it next season.
Milan were not even expected to be second after 22 games: the top two positions were supposed to be a matter of debate between Inter and Napoli. Allegri has done well to close the gap, and this duel with Inter is a reward in itself. The pressure is on Inter, Milan simply needs to maintain their average.
Why? Why is that it is alot of games too go.
People talk like Inter is steamrolling thru serie a
Well.. for sure it is their title to concede as things stand at the moment. It’s far from 100% but still I would prefer if my odds are 50% and there are several other teams competing for the other 50%.
My real issue is not our chances to win the title but the way we play. Allegri’s style is to play as a bottom table club but with high profile players that can really hurt each of your mistakes. We have great players in the squad that should be able to really entertain us. Most of the matches I end up frustrated even when we win.
But it is what it is, hopefully at least we get the results at the end. And I don’t buy the ‘results are more important’ thing. With the players we have, we should be able to easily get to top 4 with most of the coaches in the league. The true target for Allegri is 100% the scudetto, 5th position is him looking for Conte’s position.
The toll of european cup play becomes most notable in march and april when the cups enter playoff mode, and the games get much tougher, plus all the minutes this season start to accumulate (and injuries pile up). The clubs who reach quaterfinals need to rotate more in the league rather then the champions leauge as more is at stake there. Thats when we will start seeing Inter drop points in easier league games.
They also got 4 games in 11 days coming up, Dortmund away, Cremonese away, Torino at home in the italian cup, and Sassuolo away again before a weeks rest for the Juve game. Its very plausable they will rotate alot against both Cremonese and Sassoulo and drop points in one of those games, and Juve is in great form and could steal points as well.
Milan and Inter might very well be tied in points when its time for the derby. If Milan manage to beat Bologna away and Como at home, I think we will be within 1 point of Inter 7-8th of march when we clash. Then anything can happen. And Inter might also have the first quaterfinal in CL to think about march 10/11th.
The title is far from lost.
Inter have to play in the Playoffs against either Benfica or Bodo Glimt (Hauge’s team).
Their schedule will after the Sassuolo match will be
Juve -> Benfica/Bodo -> Lecce -> Benfica/Bodo -> Genoa
If they get past the playoffs their next opponent will be between Sporting CF or Manchester City
Their Schedule will be:
Milan -> Sporting/Man City -> Atalanta -> Sporting/Man City -> FIorentina
There’s no way they don’t drop points in these matches.
And if they’re lucky enough to get to the Quarter Finals, their opponents will be most likely one of Bayern Munich or Arsenal.
Their schedule then would be:
Roma -> Bayern/Arsenal -> Como -> Bayern/Arsenal -> Cagliari
I can see them dropping points at multiple stages of these next 3 months even if they are eliminated from UCL in the Quarterfinals.