Milan in danger of losing heart & spine amid top-four collapse

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On January 23, Milan were belatedly crowned the winter champions of Italy.

I Rossoneri sat top of Serie A, having only lost twice in 19 matches, Zlatan Ibrahimovic was back from injury, and the stuttering form of chasers Inter and Juventus meant that they had a clean shot at the Scudetto.

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Fast-forward just over three months, and Milan are in danger of total collapse. Stefano Pioli’s side ended matchday 33 in fifth place, having landed on the wrong end of a 3-0 spanking by Lazio – a result which unthinkably put their Champions League qualification in doubt.

At the final whistle, many supporters began to press the panic button: the club was in chaos, on and off the field.

There can be a good argument made for the major cause of their drop off in form being down to the uncertainty surrounding the future of a handful of key players. And these off-field issues have very much seeped onto the pitch.

Ibrahimovic, who started the season like a house on fire, has been haggling for a bumper extension with the club, and got his reward in April, in the form of a one-year deal which would take him beyond his 40th birthday.

Not bad going for a man who has only scored five goals in 2021, with four of those coming against relegation strugglers Cagliari and Crotone. Indeed, this new deal has been dished out based on his incredible 10 goals in his opening six matches of the season. Since then, he’s managed five in 11 games, and the rest he has missed through worrying injuries.

Worth the reinvestment, then? That’s up for debate.

But the main distraction has arrived in the form of goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, and the failure over the past 18 months to tie him down to a new contract. The 22-year-old has already made over 200 league appearances for Milan, and is one of the most attractive prospects on the market.

The fact that he could – and looks ever more likely to walk away from San Siro for nothing this summer is absolutely scandalous. And while he will kiss the badge and declare Milano as his home, his actions tell a very different story.

Donnarumma wants to play Champions League football, and his mind could be made up by the outcome of this current season. Should Milan sneak back into Serie A’s top four by the time the final whistle is blown, it could be enough to convince him to put pen to paper on a new deal.

But the old enemy Juventus are sniffing around, and with their financial pulling power, it could be all over between I Rossoneri and the young shot-stopper, after what promised to be an infinite romance.

The same scenario lingers around Hakan Calhanoglu. The Turkish playmaker is rather fortunate that his best season has coincided with him ticking into the final year of his contract, as his number of potential suitors grows much higher than it would have been 12 months ago.

Calhanoglu is a wanted man across Europe, and the fact that he can be snatched for nothing in a matter of months means other clubs are better placed to offer him higher wages than Milan, particularly if they miss out on a top-four finish.

And finally on this list of possible departures, we have the newer addition of Fikayo Tomori. The centre-back arrived on loan from Chelsea in January, and his commanding displays left viewers stunned that the Blues had allowed Milan to slip a £25m option to buy clause into the deal.

While the English defender has thrived in Italy and is enjoying his football in Milano, he may be less sold on the partnership if he is forced to play Europa League football for another season. On top of that, there is the financial ramifications of missing out on the top four, which could leave Milan stretched in finding the funds for Tomori’s clause, handing Chelsea an unbelievable reprieve.

So, it’s little surprise that with all of these permutations hanging over the players, their impeccable performances have begun to wane. Five losses in 12 games has seen them knocked off their perch at the top of the table by bitter rivals Inter, and the stunning return to form of Atalanta and Napoli has only deepened their plight.

Hakan CalhanogluHakan Calhanoglu
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Milan’s home form is of particular concern, winning only seven of their 17 matches at San Siro – not the form of a top-four club. Did many of us believe I Rossoneri were a top-four team prior to the start of this season, though? Probably not.

But this year has threatened to be the start of their rebuild as a European force, and while that doesn’t necessarily require a league title, it does demand Champions League qualification.

Fail to do so, and goalkeeper for the next 10 years, Donnarumma, will leave. Centre-back Tomori will fancy his chances back at Chelsea, Calhanoglu will land a move away and Ibrahimovic will be left wondering what he’s signed up for, while gobbling up a giant chunk of their wage bill.

And as with any Milan manager, Pioli may suffer the consequences and be shown the door, bringing this promising chapter to a miserable end.

Basically, the entire spine and heart of their team could be ripped out this summer, and they’ll be forced to start from scratch. Milan have five games to stop that from happening, and they could prove to be the five most important 90 minutes in the past decade of decline.

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