1 week ago
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Arrigo Sacchi has shared his thoughts on AC Milan’s disappointing 2-2 draw against Pisa, stating what he thinks has been known all along: the Rossoneri aren’t ready for the Scudetto.
With a win last night, Milan would have confirmed their position at the top of the standings, going four points ahead of their rivals. Now, however, they could be leapfrogged and that has only made the Pisa failure more crushing.
In his weekly editorial for Gazzetta dello Sport, the legendary Milan manager Arrigo Sacchi shared his thoughts on the performance. Above all, he focused on the fact that the Rossoneri aren’t ready for the Scudetto, which isn’t surprising given how many issues they had last season.
“You can’t trust Milan! They face Pisa, who are at the bottom of the table, and take the lead after a few minutes through Leao. They seem to be dominating the match, but instead they fall asleep, and in the second half, they first concede a Cuadrado penalty and then Nzola completes the turnaround.
“The Rossoneri’s goal to make it 2-2 comes in injury time. An upset? Yes, but only partially. Let me explain: the Rossoneri aren’t ready yet, and by ready, I mean mature, to be at the top. You can’t face the entire second half with a superior attitude, you can’t give your opponents any space because, sooner or later, danger will arise.
“It’s a question of mentality that still needs to be sorted out. Now Inter or Napoli and Roma have the chance to overtake the Rossoneri, confirming the fact that Serie A is yet to find its master for the season.
“I must confess that I was quite surprised to see Milan top of the table after seven matchdays. Not because the team isn’t strong or didn’t deserve the points they have, but because other teams, especially Napoli and Inter, seemed decidedly better equipped.
“In fact, they probably are, just compare their squads. However, Napoli and Inter have Champions League commitments that sap energy and drain them both physically and mentally, and so Milan, who are out of Europe and have a week to work and prepare for the match, have quietly climbed the standings.
“As Napoli know well, featuring in only one competition guarantees a decent advantage over the opponents. However, if you then throw everything away with a performance like the one against Pisa, then it’s only natural that the Rossoneri fans will be disappointed.
“Disappointment at the lack of success is certainly the feeling that emerges after this match, but we must analyse the overall situation with great clarity. Milan has had an excellent start to the season, and that was by no means a given.
“Anyone who imagined they would be on an easy path to the Scudetto, however, was sadly mistaken. If there were so many problems last year, it’s impossible to solve them all at once in two or three months. Logic and experience teach us this.
“If you compare last season’s Milan to today, everyone agrees they are two completely different teams. And when I say different, I mean both in spirit and tactics. The players now know what they have to do. Sometimes they succeed easily, sometimes they struggle, but their commitment and character are never lacking.
“It’s objectively a better AC Milan than in the past. But it’s still a Milan that makes mistakes and needs to make a qualitative leap both in terms of play and mentality. Allegri, who is doing a fantastic job, must now focus on the psychological aspect: it’s always the mind that moves the legs,” he stated.
Atalanta are up next for Milan, then Roma, Parma and Inter. These are much tougher games compared to Pisa, but paradoxically this might help the Rossoneri as their attitude was the problem last night, struggling against weaker sides.
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