The climate around AC Milan shifted towards hostility well before the kick-off of this 36th day. Even before facing Atalanta, the players were greeted by loud whistles, particularly targeted at Rafael Leão, while hostile banners flourished in the stands to denounce the lack of involvement of the locker room. This tension follows a catastrophic series of only one goal scored in five games, raising the specter of a monumental shock: while qualification for the Champions League seemed assured for months with a second place throughout the season, Milan collapsed at the worst time, seeing its competitors pounce on it in the Serie A standings after four defeats in the last five league matches.
Finally, this Sunday, the Milanese conceded a new setback against the Bergamasques. After the defeat, Massimiliano Allegri tried to justify this new setback: “we played well for ten minutes, then we conceded a goal at the first opportunity and we collapsed. I saw a good reaction at the end of the match. This is not an individual problem; the priority is the team.» Despite the emergency, the technician wanted to remain focused on the future: “there is no point in talking about what has happened so far; we can’t change anything about it. Now we have to focus on Genoa. Is the Champions League under threat? I always said that it wasn’t a foregone conclusion… We started to score again, that’s a good sign.»
The crazy release of Igli Tare
Sports director Igli Tare then took over on Italian television. And its release should not calm rumors of internal tensions: “I analyzed the match with the coach after the 90th minute. We have to stay focused on the last two games. The reaction in the locker room was good, now we have to put words into action. Maybe we will take a break a few days before the match against Genoa. The necessary tension was missing. We must assume our responsibilities. The fans deserve another team.» This statement sounds like an admission of helplessness in the face of a squad which seems to have lost track of its season.
Finally, when asked about his own situation and the rumors of dismissal surrounding him, Tare tried to face the storm: “Am I on the defensive? I didn’t see any signs of it. Am I affected? I received no signal from the club; I concentrate on my work. If we achieve our goal, we will have done a good job. The rest, namely speculation, is part of our job. » Between criticized players, a contested coach and a vacillating place in C1, Milan approaches the last two days in a worrying state, where only a victory against Genoa can avoid a humiliating earthquake.
