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Franco Ordine believes the decisive part of the season is about to start for AC Milan, hence the big team dinner organised.
In case you missed the news from Sky’s Peppe Di Stefano on Wednesday, Milan held a dinner at a hotel in the city which featured not only the first team squad but many employees too, right down to the warehouse workers. In total, around 70 staff attended, and it was paid for by fines from players.
Given that Massimiliano Allegri has always stressed the importance of getting to March and still being in the running for objectives, it feels like a strategically-timed mission to reinforce the unity within the team.
The derby is on the horizon, but before that the games against Pisa, Como, Parma and Cremonese are vital too, especially given that the battle for a top four spot is still raging.
The real climb begins
Ordine published his weekly column for MilanNews in which he spoke a bit about the perceived Christian Pulisic contract panic as well as the potentially decisive few weeks that await the Rossoneri.
“You don’t need a 007 infiltrated into the lounge of the Gallia Hotel to grasp the footballing significance of the collective dinner organised by Allegri and Milan, open to the entire team, the managers, and the staff who work at Milanello,” he said.
“It’s certainly not the occasion to confirm the group’s health, which is demonstrated every working day spent at Milanello as well as by the results achieved so far. No. There’s something else at stake, much more. It was an opportunity to get across a couple of key concepts.
“The three days of rest served to recharge everyone’s batteries, but now the decisive phase of the season begins. Allegri made it clear: against Pisa, Como, Parma and Cremonese, Milan are playing not for second place but for qualification for next season’s Champions League.
“Because they must overcome a couple of taboos in a few days, and before the derby that could mean zero for the standings (if Inter defeat Juventus next Saturday, there’s no point in pretending nothing’s happening, the Scudetto is already gone).
“The first: managing to take full points against the three teams on the right side of the table. It’s not easy, it’s not a given, especially considering they’re playing two of the three matches away from home.
“The second: facing Como on Wednesday, February 18th at the newly renovated San Siro will present Milan with their most dangerous test of the entire season. It’s even more to be feared than the derby against Inter.
“And do you know why? Elementary: because the law of large numbers is lurking (Milan is the only team in Europe to have suffered only one defeat in the league so far) and must be taken into due consideration.
“And then because – as Cesc Fabegras said on the evening of Como 1-3 Milan: ‘If we played like this against Milan 10 times, we’ll win eight!’ Milan have already won once in the first leg, sparking the envy and resentment of the ‘giochisti’ [those who care about style] so imagine if they can think of repeating the feat. I can already imagine the street protests if Como wins!
“Allegri is a man of football, but also of numbers, and always fair. So the underlying thought behind his sermon to the assembled team was this: if we were to earn 10 points in the next four games, climbing to 60 points, then that score would be the impetus to qualify for the Champions League next season.
“That’s why the real climb begins for Milan on Friday in Pisa. That’s why the team dinner was organised!”
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