Dear Milan, this is getting tough. Suddenly, Massimiliano Allegri\u2019s Milan has come to a standstill, going from a potential Scudetto run to a very real fear of not even finishing in third or fourth place.
In their last four matches, they have suffered three defeats, all painful, all significant and in some respects now decisive, particularly the latest one: a shocking 3-0 loss to Udinese at home in front of their own fans.
Now the lead over fifth place Como is just five points, not that many considering the pace of both teams. Cesc Fàbregas’s side seem in good form and are inevitably highly motivated, despite the dramatic defeat against Inter Milan, now on course for the title.
Milan collapse?
Allegri’s team seem to have lost all motivation and it is truly a mystery. It has never been a team that played particularly beautiful or exciting football, but it has always been solid, capable of leveraging its superior talent against teams of equal or lower calibre. Yet now that the Scudetto dream has vanished, it almost seems as though the entire castle, evidently built of sand, is crumbling.
What has been built this year? That is the question. What remains, should they fail to finish in the top four? The fear is that absolutely nothing would remain.
Many starters are falling short of expectations, from Mike Maignan to Christian Pulisic, otherwise the situation would not have deteriorated this way. But there is one player in particular who has come under fire, especially from the fans. That player is Rafael Leão, undoubtedly the team’s star, who is increasingly struggling, playing a less central role and becoming less and less decisive.
When things are not going well, it is normal for fans’ criticism to focus on the team’s stars, and that is why Leão was booed off the field and is currently under heavy scrutiny. He has done so much in a Milan shirt, but right now he seems like just another player in every sense. The Portuguese forward is no longer making an impact, no longer making a difference, and his runs, his goals, and his assists are sorely missed by Allegri and the rest of the team.
There are six games left in the season, and to avoid the ultimate disappointment, finishing in fifth place after chasing the Scudetto all year, they need nearly all 18 points still up for grabs. This dramatic slowdown is calling everything into question, even Allegri’s future on the Milan bench.
According to some reports, his position, and that of Igli Tare as well, are in serious doubt heading into next year. Failing to finish in the top four would be criminal, as well as a massive failure, especially when you consider the team’s initial goals and those that emerged during the season.
Allegri questioned
Going from chasing first place to this situation, where they fear finishing fifth, is serious and unacceptable, and obviously Milan fans are not taking it well at all. This is an extraordinary club with an incredible history and mediocrity simply cannot be accepted. Allegri seems to have lost his grip on the team, as well as many points in the standings.
Against Udinese, the Rossoneri failed to contain a superb Nicolò Zaniolo, who has finally returned to top form, but overall everyone lost their individual duels and the match was one sided. And the opponent was not Bayern Munich or Paris Saint-Germain, teams that have shone in the Champions League, but Udinese.
Granted, Zaniolo and his teammates have taken points from several top Italian sides, but the performance last weekend was unacceptable. It was not even a contest and the team gave the impression of being absent, of having their minds elsewhere and that is not possible, because it is not even May yet.
Allegri had returned to Milan to relaunch his career at the highest level, to prove he is still a top tier coach for Serie A. It was his big chance, but so far he has not lived up to the Rossoneri ownership’s expectations. Nor has he met the expectations of Milan’s fans, who had sky high hopes. On top of that, there is also the possibility that Italy might turn to Allegri as the new national team coach, following yet another failure, namely the failure to qualify for the World Cup.