As Milan’s Serie A season nears its climax, the Rossoneri discover themselves underneath intense scrutiny. A marketing campaign that when promised a lot has been marred by inconsistency, resulting in rising doubts concerning the squad’s high quality and future course. The newest and most harsh evaluation has now arrived from a membership legend, who insists that solely two gamers have lived as much as expectations.
However who’re the 2 gamers who’ve earned reward? It’s not Rafael Leao, the membership’s talismanic winger. It’s not Santiago Gimenez, the big-money January signing. And it’s not Joao Felix, the Portuguese star who lit up San Siro in his debut, however has since light.
How have Milan’s high-profile stars fared to date?
Few gamers embody Milan’s inconsistency like Rafael Leao. The Portuguese winger, hailed as one of the crucial thrilling attacking skills in Europe, has six targets and 7 assists in Serie A this season. Nevertheless, he has as soon as once more struggled to ship on his immense potential week in and week out.
Whereas his moments of brilliance stay plain, questions persist about whether or not he can evolve right into a celebrity participant in a position to ship always, one thing his facet desperately wants. Not like the 25-year-old, his compatriot Joao Felix’s time at Milan might already be operating out.
The Portuguese ahead, on mortgage from Chelsea, made a direct affect by scoring on his debut. However since then, his affect has waned, and studies recommend that the Italians don’t have any plans to signal him completely when his mortgage expires in 2025. Felix’s wrestle to safe a beginning function displays the broader challenges in Milan’s assault, the place no participant has constantly stepped as much as lead the road.
Final however not least, there may be Santiago Gimenez. Hailed because the resolution to Milan’s goalscoring issues, the Mexican striker arrived in January from Feyenoord. His first few matches steered he was the lacking piece, as he netted three targets in fast succession.
However since February 18, when he scored in opposition to his former membership within the UEFA Champions League, he has failed to search out the online. His dry spell has raised issues about his means to thrive in Serie A, the place the tactical complexity typically calls for extra than simply uncooked ending means.
Legend delivers ruthless verdict on Milan stars
Talking to La Gazzetta dello Sport, former Milan participant and supervisor Fabio Capello didn’t maintain again in his evaluation of the squad. In keeping with the legendary coach, solely two gamers have delivered performances worthy of the Purple and Blacks’ stature this season.
“I save solely two, Pulisic and Reijnders. All of the others, for one motive or one other, have carried out beneath sufficiency,” Capello acknowledged. His remarks recommend deep frustration, not simply with particular person performances, however with the crew’s general mentality. The Englishman continued his criticism by highlighting what he believes to be a scarcity of dedication and urgency on the pitch.
“What number of occasions have we seen a participant lose the ball and never return? And what number of, alternatively, are chasing the opponent with need, frothing on the mouth since you sense a harmful state of affairs for the crew?” His feedback not directly goal a few of Milan’s largest names. The likes of Mike Maignan, Theo Hernandez, and Leao—gamers typically thought of Milan’s spine—have all fallen in need of expectations in Capello’s eyes.