5 Things we learned after Milan vs Benevento
It’s a false-step difficult to analyse as the Rossoneri fall against the team in the bottom of the table. Simply said, a burning defeat for AC Milan.
A BURNING DEFEAT
The last time the Red and Blacks played a third team in a week time was against Sassuolo. Also on that match, AC Milan created plenty of chances in the initial minutes and did not make them count. Similarly, on that Sunday, the team was not consistent. After 52 official games this season, and playing once again a third match in the same week, the Rossoneri lacked strength, ideas and confidence.
ONCE IN ACTION…
The players always listen to the coach’s press conference on the eve of the match. They were aware of the boss’s concerns ahead of the game against Benevento. Yet, they failed to keep up the intensity and determination. Even against the team in the bottom of the table, you need to be humble, careful and compact. The team must learn to rescue at least a point when the matches don’t flow as expected. Nonetheless, this did not happen on Saturday night at San Siro.
A TOUGH SEASON
The Rossoneri’s campaign has had its ups and downs. In the first months, they lacked identity and then worked their way up with a new preparation that began in December. There has been a lot of rushing and chasing in the race to achieve the season’s goals. After all of this, it is also understandable that the team depends on an eleven players-base and a clear system of play. It’s not a limitation, rather the physiological synthesis of a whole season. If too many of these references are missing, the team breaks down.
THE FANS REMAIN ALWAYS LOYAL
The fans at San Siro have been extraordinary. They booed some of the Red and Blacks’ plays but the deliberate waste of time of the opponents too, who deserved the victory anyway. Yet, the Rossoneri fans always supported the team and at the end of the game, they didn’t disturb the players who, in turn, led by Bonucci and Cutrone, apologised.
BOUNCING BACK
These false-steps in Spring, which are very difficult to digest, had happened in recent years. For instance against Frosinone and Carpi in 2016 and vs Empoli in 2017. Let’s not overreact. The performance against Benevento was too inconsistent, yes, but looking ahead, there will not be midweek games in the next 15 days. There is time to recover some key players and to keep improving as a team. AC Milan can be once again the version we saw during the first three months of 2018. The Rossoneri have everything they need to bounce back ahead of the final sprint in Serie A and the TIM Cup Final
