MN: Milan’s season reminiscent of Ancelotti’s debut year – the similarities | OneFootball

Carlo Ancelotti’s first season coaching AC Milan ended in Champions League football, but it was not without struggle – a dynamic which could be repeated this season, perhaps.

For many, this season is done and dusted. Milan will not be in European competition next season, let alone the Champions League, yet there is a far-away story that hope can be drawn from. However, whether reality will be so kind remains to be seen.

As Milan News states, there are many parallels to be drawn between the current year and Ancelotti’s first season as the Rossoneri’s head coach – 2001/02. Additionally, both this season and that one could be defining in generations to come.

On a coaching level, there are a lot of similarities with the report comparing Fatih Terim to Paulo Fonseca, then, the saviour came – in this case, the report is referring to Sergio Conceicao, even if he believes he is the reason for this position.

After a poor start to the season, Ancelotti managed to turn the ship around, though it was not without its own share of disappointments, such as the failure to win a game between the 18th and 23rd matchdays.

Then, six points behind the Champions League places, a miracle took place, and Ancelotti’s team qualified for the competition, tying things up with a 3-0 win at San Siro on the final day of the season.

Whilst the road to this is more difficult for Conceicao, it is not impossible to claw back the season, and in turn Europe. But, the mission must begin now, though some may already believe it is too late.