In the penultimate matchday of the new League Phase of the Champions League, Milan defeated Girona 1-0. This, in spite of an incredibly beleaguered squad, and being weighed down by what are truly Milan's most hideous kits so far this season. Perhaps the win was not pretty, or even convincing at times. and Milan got a little help from VAR and SAOT (Semi-automated Offside Technology), too. But Conceição is not worried about aesthetics, he is worried about results. And certainly, you can see his effect on the team starting to take hold, even when they are winning ugly.
 |
| A beautiful goal marred by such a hideous kit. |
In the past, I have taken the opportunity to write kit reviews as new kits are released, given my background in fashion design. However, in recent seasons, I have been limited and have not kept up the tradition. I still take the opportunity to comment on the new kits in the match reviews when the kits are first worn. For example, when this kit was initially worn in our loss to Parma this season, I wrote:
"What designer puts charcoal, mint, and lavender together? None of them even have the same color values. Great for the earth that the lettering on the kits is apparently recyclable, but my eyesight is not."
 |
| Not only is this a visual crime, there is nothing Milan about a mint green crest. |
My views on this kit have only worsened, as all our performances wearing them have been subpar at best, even if we got a result. For example, we wore them in our controversial win over Club Brugge, where the ref's performance gave us a win. We also wore them in the Champions League 2-1 win over Crvena zvezda, which was a better performance, but still not up to Milan level (perhaps it was the hideous kits that led to Fonseca's deranged rant afterward?) And finally, the forgettable 1-1 draw with Roma that saw Fonseca finally sacked.
Clearly, these kits are just cursed, but whatever monetary agreement Milan have with Puma is more important to this management than success on the pitch. Sure, there is superstition. Galliani's superstitions always overrode any agreement with a kit sponsor or any tradition, for example. If he felt a kit was cursed, that was it. The players did not wear it anymore, especially not in big matches. But there is also the rule of fashion that when you look good, you perform better. Confidence is built on many things, and if you have to wear something that you know looks awful, it does affect your confidence, and therefore your performance. Which just makes it harder for Milan to win, forcing the players to win ugly.
 |
| Calabria probably should have been the one to start, considering the proposed exit of Emerson Royal. |
Girona forced the ugly win, too, as they were literally fighting for their Champions League lives. Milan's fifth straight Champions League win pushed them up to sixth place on the table, increasing the chances for automatic qualification to the Round of 16. Conversely, Girona's loss saw them knocked out for the season, despite having one more match to play in the League Phase. So they were playing this match in desperation, with brutal physicality and motivated far beyond whatever kits they were wearing.
Things got very ugly very quickly for Milan, as just two minutes in, Emerson Royal was down injured. He was actually unable to continue, so Calabria was subbed on for him in the fourth minute. That changed not only the game and Conceição's plans for the match, but also management's plans for this transfer window, as they had reportedly asked Emerson Royal to find a new club, but that becomes difficult or even impossible with an injury. Meanwhile, Calabria produced a UEFA Champions League Team of the Week performance.
 |
| Pavlović also reportedly linked with a potential exit, but luckily, he was not injured. |
Then Reijnders was down in the sixth minute, and it took him quite a while to get up. Two minutes later, Herrera fouled Leão. There was a lot of contact, and few whistles, no cards. However, Milan did look very dangerous. After a Reijnders free kick was saved, Leão forced a big save from Gazzaniga in the tenth minute. Followed by a Pavlović shot wide. Musah was given a golden opportunity, but made a poor decision to cross instead of shoot.
Next thing you knew, Calabria was down. Still zero cards. After a lightning fast attack, Theo sent the ball just a little too high, it bounced off the top of the crossbar. Then Musah, having learned his lesson to actually take the shot, did so, but the ball hit the post and bounced out. Finally, Girona had a chance when Van de Beek forced a big save from Maignan in the 31st minute.
 |
| Leão doing what Leão does best: winning. (No matter what he's wearing.) |
The deadlock was finally broken in the 37th minute when Bennacer sent the ball forward as he was being tackled, and Leão turned on the afterburners, messed with the defenders for a second for good measure, then forcefully sent the ball screaming past Gazzaniga into the top of the net. 1-0 Milan. A stunning goal, and just what was needed ti demonstrate Milan's strength, since their kits were so deceptively ugly. Also, that goal helped Leão reel in a third consecutive Player of the Match award from UEFA.
Things could not all be positive, though, as Calabria was awarded the first yellow card of the match for talking to the referee, Stieler. That card, unfortunately, meant Calabria will miss the next Champions league match. It must be difficult for Calabria, who is used to being the captain, particularly while Maignan is stuck in goal, and there is no one there to speak to the referee. But rather than do his job and protect the players, Stieler was offended by Calabria speaking to him, so now we potentially have zero right backs available for our final League Phase match next week.
 |
| Maignan was great in goal again, even when unprotected by the referee. |
Case in point, when, two minutes later, Van de Beek kicked Maignan in the stomach as he was going in on goal, Stieler did absolutely nothing to protect our player. Nor, two minutes later, when Leão was flagrantly pulled to the ground by Francés, nothing from Stieler. But sure, Calabria got carded for speaking to him. The half ended with chances at each end, including a Herrera chance shut down by Fofana and cleared by Maignan.
Leão made his presence known immediately in the second half, forcing yet another save from Gazzaniga. Pavlović blocked a shot by Krejčí. Theo's shot ended up in the side netting. Then, in the 57th minute, Gil scored a goal. But wait... the same VAR and SAOT technology that has so frequently cost us matches showed that his toes were offside, so the goal was disallowed. When ref calls go our way, that is like a victory in and of itself.
 |
| Bennacer was a bruiser in this match, and had the assist on the goal, too. |
Which is good, because in the 62nd minute, Musah was stomped on, but no card was given. It feels like referees have decided that having metal cleats ground into your feet is an acceptable foul. Conceição used this opportunity, though, to sub Tammy Abraham on for Morata. Still more shots, more fouls not carded, then Pulisic made his return from injury, subbed on for Bennacer, and Terracciano replaced an exhausted Reijnders as well.
The team were showing more of the grit and determination Conceição seems to have been asking for, even if it was an ugly match. Also, I loved Pavlović's energy when he successfully intercepted and cleared a pass in the 79th minute, he celebrated with passion. Speaking of passion, Theo got a bit too passionate with Portu, they were mixing it up a big, and whether it was that interaction, him being taller, something he said to Stieler, or any combination of those things, he earned a card for it.
 |
| Despite what it seems, Conceição is not a Jedi master. But his influence is taking effect. |
Pavlović was fouled and went down a few minutes later, but it seems as though he was just cramping up, as he hadn't played in so long. Theo clashed heads in stoppage time, but appeared to be okay. And Francés went straight into Tammy Abraham's back not long before the final whistle, but again, no card was shown. My theory is that Stieler could not see the fouls because of the hideous kits. But when players wearing the atrocious kits approached him, he would card them as a method of self defense.
This was by no means a fantastic match played by Milan. The team are growing into the style of play Conceição is asking of them, while simply trying to survive the intense training sessions and insane match schedule. But they got the job done, took all three points, and set themselves up to go straight through to the Round of 16. A win vs. Dinamo Zagreb will guarantee qualification, while a draw could potentially also see them through, depending on other results. So even if it wasn't pretty, it was important. Now it is time for everyone to attempt to purge their memories of those hideous kits and move on, that is the cost of winning ugly.
Primavera Win Big with a 2-1 Victory over Lecce
 |
| Scotti celebrates his winning goal. |
Wednesday's clash saw Milan Primavera defeat Lecce Primavera 2-1 at the House of Puma. There were a lot of players shuffled in and out due to illness, injury, national team duty, as well as a few players joining from Milan Futuro. Liberali recovered from injury to make the bench for this one. After a first half that was virtually uneventful, the second half kicked off with Retegaš goal, putting Lecce up 1-0. To make matters worse, Guidi lost Maximilian Ibrahimović to injury in the 63rd minute, subbing on Perrucci in his place.
However, a quick (super) Pippo Scotti brace in the 75th and 76th minutes brought Milan back and gave Guidi's boys the win. This win allowed the Primavera to leapfrog Juventus Primavera in the standings, jumping back up into fifth place on the table.
This post inspired by the music of Ministry's "Every Day Is Like Halloween"
Serie C Week 24
Reviewed by Elaine
on
11:00 PM
Rating:
