Is Milan Better Than a Newly Promoted Bundesliga Side?

What kind of gameshow is this, that fans wait all summer for their hopes and dreams, only to be disappointed both on and off the pitch? And tomorrow that gameshow takes us to Germany. Freiburg, specifically. To play a friendly with the newly promoted Bundesliga team who copied our kit color scheme this year. A Milan side prior to 2012 would be expected to dominate this match with our bench players. But given the performances thus far this summer, you just have to sit back and ask yourself: Is Milan better than a newly promoted Bundesliga side?

The German version of a red and black first kit, a white second kit, and an army green third kit

That question will be answered tomorrow on the pitch. SC Freiburg’s manager, Streich, will be tuning up his squad for the DFB Cup first round next Saturday. If he’s done his homework, he’ll know that this team is already injury-riddled and easily beaten. Also that this team somehow took down the mighty Bayern on penalties in the ICC tournament. So if they beat us, and we beat Bayern, then… Okay, I doubt he’s being ridiculous like that. But he will want his team to play well ahead of their competitive debut next week.

Meanwhile, back at Milan, with every misplaced pass or goal conceded, Montella creates new perfect-to-gif facepalms and other dramatic reactions, then goes to the microphone postgame and talks about the players needing to take responsibility, etc. It’s like he’s setting them up to fail. And with our virtually non-existent mercato combined with our growing injury list, it hardly seems likely we’ll beat that newly promoted Bundesliga side.

Welcome to the club, Mister

As of this writing, Romagnoli, Ely, Zapata, Lapadula, and Suso will all miss due to injury. And I am going to take a wild guess that by the look on his face on Wednesday, Niang won’t be available, either. But Donnarumma should be back from U21 national team duty. And Gomez is back from Paraguay and has been training, so hopefully would be available, as well. I have not heard yet when Vangioni will be available, but we have yet to see him, too.

I’m not going to lie. These friendlies have not impressed me in the least. The same mistakes and mentality that have plagued this team for over four years have been omnipresent in every match. Sure, there have been highlights like Suso and Niang (note that  both of them are injured.) But it’s really just been more of the same. So as I get up early to see if there is even a stream available for this match, the question on my mind will be: Is Milan better than a newly promoted Bundesliga side?

This post inspired by the music of Elastica’s “Stutter”

SC Freiburg vs. AC Milan

Sunday, August 14th • 16:30 CEST (10:30am EDT)

At Schwarzwald-Stadion, Freiburg, Germany

This match will not be televised in the U.S.