GdS: ‘Milan sink’ – how the top four hopes were ended with a worrying collapse

In partnership with

SempreMilan

·28 de febrero de 2025

GdS: ‘Milan sink’ – how the top four hopes were ended with a worrying collapse

AC Milan suffered perhaps their most damaging defeat of the season last night, losing 2-1 to Bologna and seeing their top four hopes all but ended.

La Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below) writes this morning that Milan will only have the Coppa Italia to fight for as a major objective this season, and they will gain a place in the Europa League at most, with fourth spot now eight points away.

OneFootball Videos

It feels like the end of the road for Sergio Conceiçao, with the only question mark being whether that will be in the near future or if at the natural deadline of June 30 (Milan have a break clause in his 18-month deal), but his future seems written.

His points per game average is not good enough: 1.56 in nine league games. His predecessor Paulo Fonseca had done better, albeit by a hair (1.59 in 17). The second defeat in a row has shown that the Rossoneri are a fragile team, and they threw away a good position at the Stadio Renato dall’Ara.

Going long

From the opening exchanges it was clear that Conceiçao had asked his players to be direct. The aim from the instruction was to try and exploit the space that opened up between the goalkeeper Skorupski and the high defensive line.

Not even a minute had passed when Tijjani Reijnders found Yunus Musah whose cross towards Santiago Gimenez was met with a disappointing shot, one unworthy of the €32m that Milan invested in January.

It proved that the approach might be correct though and it was repeated a few minutes later, with Bologna forced to commit a foul to prevent Joao Felix from doing damage in transition, triggered by another deep ball.

Two minutes before the break, the third attempt was successful. Mike Maignan’s long ball, Gimenez’s header to flick on for Leao, who beat De Silvestri for pace, rounded Skorupski and deposited the ball into the net.

There were some warning signs, but nothing major. Malick Thiaw tried to repeat his own-goal against Torino, but the ball went out for nothing. Benjamin Dominguez had caused issues for Alex Jimenez, but he had only managed one big chance, with Maignan saving well.

Bologna had controlled the game and Conceiçao had gambled on hurting them when they gave the ball away. After all, his style is modelled on the opponents, rather than what his own team are able to do.

The collapse

At the start of the second half, Bologna turned up the intensity right away. The 1-1 came immediately, the result of a free kick given away by Theo Hernandez. De Silvestri headed on, the ball ricocheted off Fabbian and Castro fired in from close range. The goal was approved by the VAR, despite appeals.

Conceiçao attempted a reshuffle: Felix out, Christian Pulisic in. The American settled on the right, with Reijnders as attacking midfielder and Musah moved to midfield: a useless exchange in the end. Destiny was sealed in the 82nd minute.

On a throw-in by Miranda, Cambiaghi – who had just come on – beat Jimenez and crossed for Ndoye who got ahead of Pavlovic to stab in from close range. To add insult to injury, Davide Calabria came on right after the goal.

To recap, Milan conceded a goal on a free kick and a throw-in, proof that they lack even basic organisation from dead balls. Conceiçao was hired precisely for his reputation as a motivator and and an organiser. The Portuguese coach has failed.

Milan are eighth – 16 points behind league leaders Inter after 26 games – and this is unthinkable. The team is better than that and Conceiçao is the easy target, but no one is innocent in this sinking Milan.