#ac-milan

#ac-milan

The AC Milan squad were once again at Milanello on Monday, as preparations continue for Friday night's game in Pisa. According to what is being reported by Sky (via MilanNews), Milan had a double session today at Milanello. The team did some work in the gym this morning and training on one of the pitches at the training complex this afternoon.

They were wonderful, formative years. They allowed me to grow in the right way: a ball, a lot of lightheartedness, and a great sense of community.

AC Milan have one of the smallest squads in Serie A in terms of numbers, but Massimiliano Allegri continues to find new resources within it. For some time, there were question marks about what the summer window brought to Milan. The squad underwent a big downsizing to just 19 outfield players, and the new signings certainly took some time to adapt.

More information has emerged regarding the AC Milan fourth kit which will be released soon, in collaboration with PUMA and Slam Jam. According to Footy Headlines, the kits come in white and red versions with a shiny, metallic or glossy finish, which is 'inspired by late 1990s/early 2000s design aesthetics'. It is believed that they will be released later this month.

The central midfield department is the deepest in AC Milan's entire squad, and Massimiliano Allegri is still searching for the perfect trio. As Tuttosport (via MilanPress) report this morning, the right midfield position in the 3-5-2 the only spot in the starting line-up without a designated starter. Youssouf Fofana held it at the start of the season, but as the months passed, others got their chance.

AC Milan do not return to action until Friday night against Pisa, but information is emerging on the conditions of certain players. After Tuesday's win against Bologna and a recovery session the next day, Massimiliano Allegri gave his players some rest. Milan will not play this weekend, as the match against Como was postponed to February 18th due to San Siro being used for the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics.

On Saturday last week, Milan confirmed that Maignan had signed a new contract with the club until 2031. As such, a tiring saga was put to an end and it was certainly something for the Rossoneri fans to celebrate. In addition to his fantastic performances on the pitch, the fact that the previous contract was expiring in the summer made the situation thorny for Milan. They did enough to convince the player in the end, even if a lot of clubs were interested.

Next week's clash against Pisa will be AC Milan's first shot at revenge, following four now infamous games earlier in the season. Just as Milan's strong record against the top rivals has been highlighted this season, the same can be said for their struggles against the bottom-half sides. It all stems from four games, really: the defeat against Cremonese, as well as the draws against Pisa, Parma and Sassuolo.

When the match starts, anything can happen. I want to win every time my team plays. Against Milan, we need a certain type of tactical work, but on Friday we will enter the pitch to get a result.

With the mercato just closing, and Jean-Philippe Mateta not joining AC Milan, Oli and Anthony looked at a few others who could've stayed or joined. The mercato is a strange time, isn't it. Ultimately, it is a very volatile period for football clubs, and we saw this again with Mateta's failed move to Italy, which we have recently written a feature about. However, his move is not the only like it. There are several 'What If' moments from the past few years

This season, Massimiliano Allegri and Milan have been massively unlucky with injuries. Unfortunately, two players have suffered more than others. Of course, that duo in question has been Rafael Leao and Christian Pulisic. Whilst they have had to overcome their own issues, they have also struggled to play together. When one returns, the other is out and vice versa. As a result, they have not be able to combine as the Rossoneri had hoped.

It seems increasingly likely that AC Milan will return to the Champions League next season, which will be a financial boost. But it will not be the only boost they receive. At present, it seems difficult to imagine a season finale where Milan are not in the premier European competition next season. They sit pretty comfortably in second, and there are no signs of them slowing down to the point of no European football.

It was a rather quiet month for Milan anyway, with January only seeing a few new faces, as opposed to the churn of last year. This was seemingly always going to be the case, though, with reports suggesting as much before Christmas. Nevertheless, things could have been different, with it clear that another striker was desired. Initially, it seemed Francesco Camarda could have returned, but a shoulder injury impacted things. So, the focus turned to Jean-Philippe Mateta. However, he also did not arrive due to injury.