Hopes were high at the beginning of the season. Who could expect AC Milan to drop to the ninth place in the Serie A table just one season after coming second and two years since their famous Scudetto?
More than 14 months after the return of club legend Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the Rossoneri are currently on a three-game losing streak following a disappointing 2-1 defeat against Lazio on Sunday.
This struggle comes despite a remarkable pre-season campaign, with victories over Real Madrid, Manchester City and Barcelona in the United States. However, a series of poor decisions have led to the Italian giants’ freefall.
Many would look at their squad and highlight the number of world-class players who would possibly start for many of their European rivals, such as Kyle Walker, Theo Hernandez, Fikayo Tomori, and former Chelsea and Barcelona star Joao Felix.
The Portuguese player’s performance, in particular, needs a more profound examination, as it represents the entire disorder and chaos taking place within the team right now. The 25-year-old was brought in as the ideal fit for new manager Sergio Conceicao’s system with a classic No 10 behind the striker, yet he failed to record a goal or assist in five Serie A appearances.
It comes after Felix revealed why he chose the Rossoneri over other interested clubs after another disappointing spell with Chelsea. The Portugal international confidently stated that his desire was to play in his favourite position on the pitch, after he was often deployed as a striker, or out on the left in the past.
Sergio Conceicao’s side have dropped to the ninth place in the Serie A table following another devastating defeat by Lazio on Sunday
Several key players were unable to address the Rossoneri’s difficulties in the defensive line
Rafael Leao’s involvement during Milan’s games remains a problem under new manager Conceicao
‘I didn’t ask AC Milan to play every game, just to play in my position… and Sergio Conceicao wanted exactly to put me in my best position. That was crucial for me to pick AC Milan,’ said Felix.
Earlier, the Portuguese was given a 4.5 match rating by Italian outlet Corriere della Sera, which also added: ‘The worst on the field. You can’t see him, you can’t hear him. Never a play, even his own players avoid him.’
The team leaders over the past few years – Theo Hernandez and Rafael Leao – are no better. After both players played a crucial part in Paulo Fonseca’s departure from the Italian giants, fans and pundits expected a career revival, a decisive factor in saving the season. After benching the left flank stars on numerous occasions, Fonseca’s time ran out in December.
Although initially it looked like the new head coach would bring the best of once the driving forces of the team, Hernandez and Leao remain the main targets of criticism. While the Frenchman often leaves a massive gap in Milan’s defence, the second is entirely inactive when it comes to pressing the opposition’s back line.
Leao’s poor form comes after he was of strong interest to several leading European clubs throughout the last summer, such as Barcelona, who were desperate to bring a left winger to Nou Camp. Now, with Raphinha’s incredible performances and Leao’s drop, such a move seems unlikely.
Furthermore, former Real Madrid defender Hernandez was jeered at by his own fans during the clash against Lazio, as the Frenchman went to take a corner kick in the final minutes of the game. A huge concern, considering his contract expires in the summer of 2026.
Walker – who recently claimed his move to AC Milan had left him to ‘solely concentrate on football’ – does not look like a saviour to the Italian giants’ defensive issues.
He joined the club in January from Man City after a difficult on the field at a time when there is increasing scrutiny surrounding his life off it. MailOnline reported in the wake of his move that his wife Annie Kilner would remain in England with their four children, with their relationship ‘rocky’.
Kyle Walker has become a key player in AC Milan’s squad but has not yet reached peak form
Walker is set to move into a luxury £10,000 per week apartment in Milan while his wife Annie Kilner remains in England
Kilner and Walker have no plans to move into a family home together in Milan for the time being
A source told MailOnline: ‘Their marriage is still very rocky and while it’s better than before, there are still a lot of things to work out. Kyle’s move was also quite sudden so it’s not that easy for Annie to just relocate with the kids to another country.
‘There are schools to consider and finding a house that is big enough for them all. But that’s still a long way off. For now, Kyle will be in Italy and Annie at their home in the UK and they’ll see how things go.’
The source added: ‘Kyle is loving both life and his football again. He’s like a new man in Milan and has never been happier. Perhaps he’s just relieved to put all his domestic troubles behind him by being out of England. The fact that he wants to live in an apartment probably tells you that he just wants some time on his own.’
Yet despite loving his football once again, he has not quite had the transformative impact he might have hoped for in Milan. In his seven appearances in the black and red shirt, his team conceded six goals, and managed just three wins.
The entire English diaspora – including Tammy Abraham, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Tomori – is far from brilliant. Last year, both Tomori and Abraham ignored former manager Fonseca’s penalty orders against Fiorentina, a case which created a massive row in Italy, as the press warned the Englishmen could be dropped in the following games.
Furthermore, the centre back has not started a game for Milan since February 8, after a failed move to Tottenham during the winter transfer window. Although Tomori publicly expressed his desire to remain in Italy, Conceicao still prefers a physical option in the shape of Strahinja Pavlovic.
Loftus-Cheek, meanwhile, had looked to be rekindling his career in Italy, with outside shouts of a call-up to Gareth Southgate’s England squad last summer, but this term he is yet to score or assist in Serie A, and has not featured in the top-flight since December due to injury.
Just two weeks after AC Milan were eliminated from the Champions League by Feyenoord, it remains clear that they have failed in another transfer window under Ibrahimovic.
Chelsea academy product Tammy Abraham has started in just nine Serie A games in 22
Ruben Loftus-Cheek suffered an injury setback at the beginning of the year and is thought to be out until mid-March
Santiago Gimenez has yet to adapt to a new league. Warren Bondo remained on the bench during Milan’s last four games, while Riccardo Sottil has not been considered a strong starter since his arrival.
At the same time, they have allowed Alvaro Morata and Ismael Bennacer to leave on loan spells outside of Italy.
While the Spaniard’s departure was highly expected, Bennacer’s move came as a surprise and a huge blow to Milan’s midfield. In his absence, the team lacks players who can effectively control the ball, slow down the pace and stabilise the game when needed.
Each game week, it becomes evident that AC Milan, and especially Conceicao, have a real project on their hands; one that needs a complete overhaul to build a better cohesive unit, rather than simply adding new individual pieces.