A.C.Milan’s win over Fiorentina sees those 5 points above City Rivals Inter at second spot and 6 points over defending champions Juventus in the race for the scudetto. What started out as an innocent suggestion at its embryonic stage, the idea seems to have gathered pace among fanbase: Yes, I am talking about Milan’s Scudetto hopes. Last taste of the scudetto came in 2011 and while Milan are widely known for being more of a team that favoured European trophies than Domestic league titles, a trophy such as the scudetto would send a message that MILAN IS BACK to even the most doubtful minds.
In the poetic sense, Milan were the last team to win the Scudetto before Juve’s run of 9 titles with an iron grip on. Ending this dominance and making Italy competitive again would bode well not only for Milan but for Serie A as a whole.
However it is too early to fuel these hopes too much as 76% of the league is yet to be played and in a long and arduous season things can change. Here is an impartial look at reasons why Milan can do the unthinkable or why it’s too early for getting hopes too high
WHY MILAN WILL WIN THE SCUDETTO
- Milan’s style of play: The standards of Serie A is not as once it used to be. The technicality and physicality of the league is 1 or 2 notches down when compared to other teams in Europe and Milan have benefitted from this by recruiting very shrewdly. Maldini and the scouting team have replaced earlier stalwarts like Suso, Cutrone and Piatek and brought in Saelemaekers, Leao and Diaz. This has brought in the much needed pace combined with technicality making milan too hot for the opposition to handle. Leao dancing past Lovato and D’Ambrosio is a clear indiciation of how Milan have changed when Milan never had a player of this magnitude.
- Competitors: Traditionally Milan’s competitors for the scudetto has been Juventus and Inter Milan. Juventus after their recent shock appointment of Andrea Pirlo as Head Coach has not been the force it used to be. While Cristiano Ronaldo always gets them out of tight spots, it’s a completely different ballgame when he isn’t playing with Juventus struggling to break down teams who play low-blocks. In the blue-half of Milan, all neutrals and pundits alike expected Inter to mount a title challenge with Conte, a manager who has massive experience to take them all the way. However (until Sassuolo) Inter have not been performing upto the expectations and potential of the squad. The team is seen too dependent on Lukaku and otherwise look toothless in attack. Napoli, Atlanta and Lazio have not performed upto expectations esp Atlanta not having won a game in last 3 serie A matches
WHY A.C.MILAN MAY NOT WIN THE SCUDETTO
- Long way to go: As mentioned above, only 24% of the season has been completed and there is around 76% of the season to play. Juventus on paper has the best squad in Serie A in terms of technicality and depth. Dybala seems to be running through a rough patch while Juve’s midfield is not supplying enough balls to the forwards. But Juve cannot be ruled out and can come out of their slumber anytime soon. They were behind Napoli by 8 points in the 2015/16 season and completed a comeback to win the Scudetto. Andrea Pirlo may not be experienced but he was one of the best minds in the game on the pitch. However for Inter, Conte is a combustile but shrewd tactician. With a squad that has experience, Conte can turn the ship anytime around as he showed vs Sassuolo with a very good 3-0 team. Napoli, Roma, Lazio and Atalanta may not be title challengers but they sure can put up a fight and if we drop points to them it can change the complexion of the title race
- Milan’s lack of Depth: Around this time of last season, a scudetto challenge was being whispered in the blue side of Roma and for a while it looked like Lazio would take Juve to the hilt before Corona Virus plunged Italy into 3 month of Covid-19 break. This broke Lazio’s momentum and once football re-started their lack of depth was exposed. With injuries coming at fast pace all over the leagues, Lazio had no back-up’s to any of their talismanic players such as Immobile, Savic, Correa, Acerbi and fatigue took its toll with Lazio having a huge losing streak. Milan too so far have no “quality” depth in areas of the pitch and with Coppa italia starting after New Year the players’ fitness would be called into question. Against Fiorentina milan missed Leao, Ibrahimovic, Bennacer and Castillejo due to injuries, niggles and fatigue. In the long run, this could be a huge factor but with Winter transfer window coming up let’s see what Elliot and Maldini have up their sleeve
- Lack of Experience: Unlike Juventus, except Ibrahimovic, Kjaer and perhaps Theo Hernandez very few of Milan’s players have been involved in a title challenge. Towards the end of the season, when fatigue will be at a peak, many times Milan would need to grind out wins and at these times the experience and grit of these players will be called into question. How our players respond to this will result in Milan title hopes.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, qualifying for the Champions League has always been the final goal. But now, players and pundits and Maldini has come out of challenging for a possible scudetto. A key factor could be how Milan handle the depth situation and make key signings in areas like Center-back, Striker department and a vice-kessie.
Qualifying to the Champions league would end years of hurt for Milan fans, winning the Scudetto would be an ever-lasting thrill in memories.
FORZA MILAN
The Milan Blog 