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Fabio Capello believes that AC Milan have an advantage with no European competitions, but are too dependant on Christian Pulisic.
Milan have found themselves in a good position heading into the new year as they are second in the league table, one point behind city rivals Inter. The Scudetto seemed like a mirage months ago, but under Massimiliano Allegri things have taken an upward turn.
It is a stark contrast to one year ago, when Paulo Fonseca was sacked after less than 30 games in charge and was replaced by Sergio Conceicao. The Supercoppa Italiana would follow early in 2025, but that was as good as things got.
Capello spoke in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport in which he assessed the chances of the various title contenders, given that the top five teams are separated by only four points.
Milan are the only top team without a cup competition. How much of an impact will it have on the Scudetto race?
“A lot, because Massimiliano Allegri will always have the week off to focus his players on a single objective, having also been eliminated from the Coppa Italia.
“In the first part of the season, Milan had a few slumps in concentration against smaller teams, but I expect Max, taking advantage of the ‘lighter’ schedule compared to their rivals, to fix things. And you can do this if you have plenty of time to prepare not only tactically, but above all psychologically for each match.
“There’s another aspect not to be underestimated: cup competitions, in addition to the physical and especially mental energy, sometimes sap your enthusiasm. A bad result or elimination, for example, can also generate negative consequences on the league campaign, because they make the whole atmosphere more burdensome.”
Lautaro (Inter), Pulisic (Milan), Hojlund (Napoli), Soulé (Roma), and Yildiz (Juventus): who will score the biggest goals?
“Lautaro is a regular at scoring important goals, so it would be easy to answer with the Inter captain. However, I’m also very impressed by Hojlund, who is in sensational form and can reassure Antonio Conte about Lukaku’s return.
“A little further back, I see the strikers of Milan, Juventus and Roma. The Rossoneri are too dependent on Pulisic, especially without Leao, but the American can’t always save his team-mates from trouble.
“Yildiz is a great talent, he’s finding exceptional consistency in both goals and assists, but we mustn’t forget that he’s still very young. Finally, Soulé has 11-12 goals under his belt, but he hasn’t yet been decisive in big matches.”
Between Nkunku (Milan), Lukaku (Napoli), Dybala (Roma) and Openda/David (Juventus), who will play the biggest role in 2026?
“I’d also add Roma’s Ferguson to the mix, who is finally showing some important signs. If we’re talking about quality, however, Dybala is the man who can give his team the decisive push: if he’s healthy, he remains one of the best in Italy.
“I also really liked Allegri’s move with Nkunku on the penalty against Milan-Verona. We’ll see if the Frenchman stays and if he’s capable of providing consistency, but in the meantime, on Sunday he showed his personality when stepping up to the spot at San Siro in a difficult moment.
“And then, if Max trusted him enough to select him as a penalty taker, it’s because he sees extraordinary quality in him and feels the need to get him back.
“Spalletti has gotten lukewarm positive responses from Openda and David, but the two Juventus forwards still seem a bit too timid to me. That’s why I’m convinced that Vlahovic’s return from injury is especially crucial for Luciano.
“Lukaku deserves a separate chapter, as he missed half the season and will obviously need time to regain top form. Conte has been his mentor since his Inter days, and the Belgian is certainly an important addition to Napoli’s attack, but the movement that Hojlund is currently providing the team can’t be expected from Romelu.
“Lukaku is a mountain where it always snows and rains, a guarantee if you play a certain way, and he will certainly be useful to the Italian champions, provided Antonio knows how to manage the rotation with Hojlund well.
“The team that doesn’t have to wait for anyone up front is Inter: Lautaro and Thuram are top players, but Bonny and Esposito are proving to be excellent alternatives.”
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