AC Milan’s Road to Redemption: Can the Rossoneri Recover from Crushing Defeat in Champions League Clash with Inter?
AC Milan’s Derby Della Madonnina Defeat: Unraveling the Perplexities
In a stunning turn of events, AC Milan suffered a crushing 5-1 defeat against Inter in the recent Derby della Madonnina clash. The match left many questioning Coach Stefano Pioli and his tactics, prompting fans to demand an apology.
This loss marked Inter’s fifth consecutive victory over their city rivals this year, solidifying their dominance in Serie A. With only one goal conceded and twelve goals scored across these encounters, Inter showcased once again why they are frontrunners for the league title.
The departure of key players like Romelu Lukaku and Marcelo Brozovic did not hinder Inter’s excellence as they continued to find ways to excel on the pitch. However, Pioli’s perplexing tactical decisions coupled with his team’s collapse in the final quarter invited criticism and melodramatic reactions.
Prior to this devastating derby defeat, AC Milan had been exceeding expectations at the start of the season, dismissing concerns about their summer revolution. However, some questionable choices by new owners Red Bird raised eyebrows among supporters – including allowing club legend Paolo Maldini to leave and selling die-hard Milanista Sandro Tonali.
Nevertheless, with ten new signings added to their roster, Milan impressed spectators with their overwhelming attacking patterns of play. The instant chemistry between former Chelsea players Christian Pulisic and Olivier Giroud brought forth goals aplenty while Tijjani Reijnders’ dynamic runs and Ruben Loftus-Cheek’s vision showcased a new Milan.
Gone were the days of heavily relying on Rafael Leao or hoping for exceptional crosses for Giroud. Milan now boasted options all over the pitch, both in their starting lineup and on the bench.
However, defensive concerns lingered despite their initial success. While they scored eight goals in their first three games of the season, conceding two raised doubts about how they would fare against stronger attacking sides. The absence of Fikayo Tomori due to suspension further compounded this issue as he had been a key pillar in Milan’s defense.
The vulnerability at the back was not entirely resolved with most incoming transfers focusing on bolstering their attack rather than solidifying the defense that conceded 43 goals compared to Napoli’s 28 last season. Would the midfield provide enough support? Tomori thrived when supported by Franck Kessie and Tonali’s relentless running, but struggled when overwhelmed and overworked.
Unfortunately for Milan, without Tomori on hand during the derby clash, Malick Thiaw faltered alongside other defenders as Inter exploited their physicality, rehearsed understanding of doubling up attacks, and midfield density. This nullified any threat posed by Milan while allowing Inter to transition seamlessly from defense to offense repeatedly.
Prior to facing Inter, AC Milan had confidence in their attacking prowess across all areas of the pitch thanks to numerous attackers capable of taking on opponents one-on-one…