I have it with … Milan, now begins the crucial phase of the season: what a risk not to bet on a substitute Ibra | First page

Milan management, having listened to the needs expressed by Stefano Pioli, has clearly indicated the priorities for the January market which officially opens next Monday. A central defense to no longer find themselves in emergency situations in the absence of one between Kjaer and Romagnoli and a midfielder who allows more rotations in the second half of the season. No way instead, except on sensational occasions that may arise, for a spare striker who alternates with Ibrahimovic. The budget available for Maldini and Massara does not allow it. and in January it is not easy to find players up to the occasion in such a delicate role. But still, the feeling remains that a brave decision was made in September, that borders on the game, betting all his chips on a 39-year-old player like Ibra.

DANGEROUS BETTING – The Rossoneri team, driven by enthusiasm and joy, also born of the great sense of the team created by Pioli in recent months, has shown that it knows how to compensate for the repeated absences of its driver during the championship, while still scoring at the rate of two goals. per game. But now, after taking note that this Milan is no longer a surprise and that he wants to play his chances until the end to stay in the first areas of the table – without losing sight of the main objective of the fourth place – Continuing to bet on the physical strength of a champion inevitably undermined by some muscular ailment can be very dangerous. in the crucial phase of the entire season.

CRUCIAL MONTHS – Some more, others less, all the Devil’s competitors in the period prior to the Champions League placements have paid tribute in terms of injuries or Covid cases, but starting from the organic with greater possibilities of rotation than Pioli. January and February will perhaps be the decisive months to really understand the potential of this AC Milan also in terms of the Scudetto: for this, the Rossoneri will have to challenge Juventus, Atalanta, Inter and Roma. And if Ibrahimovic’s defeat against Ronaldo and his teammates is almost certain, are we sure that in the long run the lack of such a decisive player does not count, especially in head-to-head matches?

ALTERNATIVE LEADERS – Rebic and Leao have shown differently that they cannot completely replace a player with the characteristics and charisma of the Swede, but Milan’s ability was to hold on to alternative leaders like Donnarumma, Kjaer, Theo Hernandez, Kessie, and Calhanoglu. The collective beyond the individual, also thinking about how much the performance of “gregarious” like Calabria and Saelemaekers has grown. Will it be enough to keep dreaming big?