They say the third time is a charm, and for Milan's sake, I really hope this holds true. On Tuesday evening, AC Milan host Club Brugge for our third Champions League match of this new League Phase. Brugge have something that Milan do not: a win in this new format. Despite the fact that seven time Champions League winning side Milan should be considered favorites in this one, we currently sit in 32nd place of the 36 teams. So for Milan, a result would not only be massive, it is becoming quite necessary. And a nice goal differential would be helpful, too. This one is all about the search for points.
Still looking for that first UCL win...
Club Brugge come to Milan having defeated Sturm Graz 1-0 in their last Champions League match, and thus sit within the Knockout Phase places in 21st on the table. This, despite having lost 3-0 to Borussia Dortmund on their first matchday. They also sit in fourth place in the Belgian Pro league, tied with Gent on points, having defeated Westerlo 2-1 on Saturday. For that match, manager Nicky Hayen lined up a 4-2-3-1 with: Mignolet; Seys, Spileers, Mechele, De Cuyper; Onyedika, Jashari; Talbi, Vanaken, Tzolis; and Vermant. From his Champions League squad, Hayen will be missing Nilsson to injury, and Meijer is also in doubt due to fitness as of this writing.
What it looks like when your team is going to win a UCL match (for reference.)
Their midfielder, a second generation Danish player, Casper Nielsen, is expected to be on the bench, but is unlikely to take the pitch due to a heartbreaking tragedy. He and his wife were expecting his second son, but he was born prematurely at five months and then passed away just last week. Nielsen is staying close to the team while grieving this terrible loss, but with his heart so heavy, it is unlikely that Hayen would call upon him to play. Certainly, thoughts and prayers go out to him, his family, and the greater Brugge family at this very difficult time.
As for Fonseca, after welcoming back Sportiello on Saturday following his longterm injury, Tammy Abraham was added to the injury list from his Champions League squad after only three minutes of play on Saturday. He is added to the injury list that includes Calabria, Bennacer, and Florenzi. Gabbia is also in doubt, but may make the bench, having skipped Saturday's match due to a slight muscle problem, and reportedly training separately still for the first part of training on Monday.
Fonseca has relied heavily on Gabbia, so if he is fit, he will play, I'm sure.
Fonseca did actually list Gabbia as a starter when he shared his starting lineup in his prematch press conference: Maignan; Emerson Royal, Gabbia, Tomori, Theo Hernandez; Fofana, Loftus-Cheek; Pulsic, Reijnders, Rafa Leão; and Morata. Camarda has also been called up, and fans were very excited to see him under the close tutelage of Morata. Meanwhile, Guidi will be calling up Malaspina and Liberali from the Futuro team to help replace Camarda and other players injured, in hopes of finding the Primavera's first victory in the UEFA Youth League as well.
When asked about the return of Theo and Leão, Fonseca's response was predictable. Theo, of course, was given a two match league ban after the controversial Fiorentina match, and Leão was benched for 90 minutes on Saturday because Fonseca has this narcissistic authoritarian need to prove that Leão is not necessary to the team, despite him doing double training sessions for Fonseca and playing his best for Portugal. And even though Milan won the Udinese match, thanks to VAR ruling out not just one, but two opposition goals, Fonseca's preaching of "team unity" is a bit naive.
The apprentice and the master... the pic that Milan fans are talking about.
We can all see that the team are unified as players. But while many of the players are towing the line for him out of respect for his position or for their jobs or both, no one is writing him love letters. No one is talking about how much he has helped them personally or professionally, or how well they get along. The players speak carefully about him in the media, and it was notable that the only two players who ran to celebrate with him during the Inter win were the two newest signings: Morata and Emerson Royal. Because leadership is not about putting people down or putting them in their place, it's about building people up. That has already backfired against Fonseca against Lazio and Fiorentina, but he never learns.
During his press conference, Fonseca was specifically asked if Theo would wear the armband on Tuesday. His reply was noncommittal, he may have answered differently were it not for an interview that Baresi gave an event with Fondazione Milan. While Baresi was his typical politically neutral, respectful self during his interview regarding Fonseca's bizarre pass-the-armband around ideas, he flat out came out and praised Theo and said he deserves to wear the armband. Given that Fonseca is unworthy to tie Baresi's shoes, I hope that at some point he figures out that no one likes him or his harsh coaching style, let alone his absurd "everyone is special so no one is special" ideas about leadership.
Fonseca needs to listen to Baresi.
Another interesting talking point that was brought up in the press conference is that Milan are one of the teams with the least fouls, yet the most sanctions in Europe. Fonseca's answer was to make jokes about his players being saints, but needing to be devils. He wants them to be smarter about their fouls, not to be violent, but to make necessary fouls. Personally, I would like to see better refereeing, but with Milan's horrific luck with referees, and UEFA referees' incredibly inconsistent reffing, Felix Zwayer and his team have a nearly impossible task ahead of him on Tuesday.
This Milan management have a habit of dismissing Club Brugge, having sent Charles De Ketelaere, whom we purchased from them, immediately away once they sacked the legendary Paolo Maldini. (So clearly, bad judgment all the way around.) The irony, of course, is that more than a year later, he is actually still on our books, but playing well for our rival, Atalanta. Milan will not receive payment for De Ketelaere until February 1st, 2025.
Kaká scored his first UCL goal vs. Brugge, but Milan does not have that DNA anymore.
Milan no longer have the DNA of players like Kaká, who actually scored his first Champions League goal against Brugge. Our owner did not even know about our Champions League history, and while we were told this team was built for the Champions League, our manager falls quite short of those expectations. His man management leaves so much to be desired, even if our players clearly desire to win. So, against all odds, on Tuesday at San Siro, they will continue their search for points.
This post inspired by the music of The Cure's "Prayers for Rain"
Serie A Week 8
Reviewed by Elaine
on
9:45 PM
Rating:
