Journalist
November 2, 2024 (changed at 10.54pm) – MILANO
Between the Day of the Saints and the Day of the Dead, Milan is neither one nor the other. Alive, yes, but just for the three points. For sanctification, well, for the moment it’s better to leave it alone. The match in Monza is the classic one not to be seen by the most squeamish Rossoneri fans: the result is good, and little else. Very little. A crumbly team, with legs contracted by the fear of making mistakes, with a structural defensive weakness, with Leao once again on the bench for an hour. A Devil saved by Reijnders, who not by chance had dressed up as a Power Ranger for Halloween and confirms himself as one of the few men of providence. And a Monza that eats its hands for the opportunities thrown away. The victory helps the Rossoneri not to lose further ground from the highest levels, but if Milan was trying to regain some self-esteem ahead of Real, the objective was unlikely to be achieved. The Brianza team falls again, and the league table is increasingly crying.
the choices
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Having said that Leao, and the return from disqualification of Hernandez and Reijnders, for the rest Fonseca also confirmed the predictions that were circulating on the eve of it: Pulisic behind Morata, the two new tall wingers of reference Chukwueze and Okafor, Thiaw and Pavlovic confirmed as a pair central and Terracciano preferred to Emerson Royal and Calabria on the right. Nesta found Bondo again in midfield and preferred Bianco to Pessina, while he placed Mota Carvalho and Maldini in support of Djuric (applauded by the Rossoneri fans).
faults
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To describe the first round it is useful to start from the end, minute number 43, or when Milan took the lead. It’s useful for a simple reason: it’s one of the most undeserved advantages in the history of this championship. An embarrassing Devil for the umpteenth time in the defensive phase, to which were added clear tactical faults also in the midfield, with Fofana most of the time out of position (often too high when Monza maneuvered) and particularly unclear in the development of the action when the ball passed to him, also because Djuric moved back to disturb him regularly. A midfield where Monza almost always found themselves in numerical superiority and above all with a great advantage compared to the Rossoneri: Mota Carvalho, Maldini and Djuric have always been points of reference in the attacking phase. The companions raised their heads and knew where to find them. Exactly what didn’t happen on the other side, with Morata who as usual had to wander up to the midfield line to get the ball and try to open gaps (the Spaniard, however, is now starting to exaggerate a bit with the “emptying” of the area), Hernandez who always entered the field and Okafor who was unable to skip the man. A little better Chukwueze on the other side but, overall, once again an unbalanced Devil. Exposed to bloody restarts, with gaps in the pitch granted to Nesta’s reds. In short, a clear step backwards compared to the already less than exciting performance against Napoli.
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reflex
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The tastiest occasions belonged to the hosts. At the dawn of the match Feliciani disallowed a goal from Mota Carvalho due to a (presumed) foul by Bondo on Hernandez (7′, the Rossoneri’s defensive coverage was terrible), a left-footed shot from Kyriakopoulos whistled a step away from the post (14′), but the Monza team had their hands in their hair especially in the 16th minute, when Maldini squandered a perfect cross from Pereira. Daniel, in total solitude, incredibly sent it wide just a stone’s throw from Maignan. And it’s thanks to the French goalkeeper that Milan didn’t go behind a little later on a header from Pereira: a prodigious reflex. Milan? A couple of opportunities with Okafor, the first of which was very tasty and sent to the landfill. In summary: the Rossoneri are fragile, scared and tense, but ahead by a goal at tea time with Reijnders. The infinity of ways of football. On the hour mark, Fonseca sent in Leao (for Okafor), who a minute later badly wasted Reijnders’ assist on the edge of the small area. It’s a Milan team that started the second half holed up in the last thirty metres, but then had the merit (courage) of slowly relaxing, at least avoiding being crushed for three quarters of an hour. Of note is a run from Theo that ended in Turati’s punches, a couple of dangerous loose balls in the Rossoneri area (Vignato, Maric) and then, with Monza exposed, a couple of bad mistakes in front of goal (Leao’s sensational one) which could have rounded off the success red and black.
