AC Milan, this afternoon, have confirmed that Vittorio Magni has left the club permanently to join Serie B side Cesena, where he was already on loan. Magni left Milan in the middle of August, seeking more game time, so he headed to Cesena in the second tier. However, he has not really found much space in the team, playing only seven times so far this season.
AC Milan have joined Olimpia in attending the European NBA conference in London today, but Inter did not have any representation. There have been talks about a European NBA for some time, and with Gerry Cardinale's interest and knowledge of American sports, it makes sense why Milan are considering the idea. However, their appearance at this meeting today is seen as a step forward.
Gerry Cardinale is working on refinancing to repay early the €489m vendor loan, plus interest, granted by Elliott Management and due in 2028. As La Gazzetta dello Sport report this morning - following on from what La Verita and Mateo Moretto said on Sunday - the transaction has begun and could be completed within a few weeks. RedBird will be provided with the funds needed to repay the Singer family by a pool of investors who see Milan as an attractive opportunity,
The striker - still looking for a more permanent home - was the victim of a robbery in his hotel room near the Fiera Milano City Exhibition Centre. Only this morning, January 17, did the German notice several valuables stolen from his safe, worth €500,000. La Gazzetta dello Sort report that luxury watches and jewellery were among the items taken. One or more individuals broke into his room between Wednesday and Thursday, while he was away for the Como match, and forced open the safe.
The Como game came 72 hours prior, but after the subsequent discussions about style of play versus results, it feels like a lot longer has passed. Allegri poured cold water on the controversy, reiterating that Milan is playing to achieve the objective that was clear from the start: the Champions League. These clear ideas give hope that the team has remained sheltered from the outside noise, remaining focused on what the specific match against Lecce will require to take home the three points.
To face Eusebio Di Francesco's side, Calciomercato.com report that the Milan head coach is considering four changes compared to the line-up that he fielded in the last league match (the rescheduled match against Como, a 3-1 win that has ignited debate). Midfield overhaul The biggest changes from Allegri are expected to be in midfield, with three changes to the lineup compared to the 3-1 win against Como.
AC Milan are back in action at San Siro on Sunday night, hoping to follow up the midweek win over Como with another victory. The opponents tonight are Lecce, a side that are one place above the relegation zone at present. With Inter and Napoli having won on Saturday, there is once again a need to respond for Massimiliano Allegri's side. Predicted Milan XI (3-5-2): Maignan; Tomori, Gabbia, De Winter; Saelemaekers, Ricci, Modric, Rabiot, Estupinan; Pulisic, Leao.
Milan escaped Como with a 3-1 win. The win was definitely not something that would fall under the deserved win category. Como were overrunning Milan in the first half. The hosts took the lead early and Milan had only Maignan to thank for the game not being out of reach before the end of the 45. A penalty converted by Nkunku after Marc-Oliver Kempf made contact with Rabiot provided a lifeline and Milan went into the break with a fortunate tie.
Koni De Winter is heading for his fifth start in the last six games, and although there were concerns initially, the former Genoa man has grown into his role. Ahead of the January window, more specifically after the games against Sassuolo and Napoli (Supercoppa), there was a lot of discussion about the centre-back position at Milan. De Winter, who arrived for around €20m in the summer, hadn't exactly impressed at that point.
Getting the job done is one of the most important abilities in football, and Milan proved that they were capable of it on Thursday night. Never a pretty game from a Rossoneri perspective, Massimiliano Allegri's team were under the cosh for most of the night. Despite falling behind in the first half, they did manage to level the scoring before the break.
According to a report by Gianluigi Longari (h/t Mundo Deportivo), Andres Cuenca, a left-footed centre-back and one of the most promising defensive prospects at FC Barcelona, has attracted interest from clubs in Serie A. Cuenca, 18, is part of the Barça Atletic setup currently, while he has already made his senior debut for the Blaugrana under Hansi Flick during the 2024/25 season.
