GdS: Milan ‘defenceless’ – the worrying numbers from a disastrous 2024-25 | OneFootball

AC Milan’s defensive record this season has been far from positive, and the injury sustained by Kyle Walker further complicates things for Sergio Conceicao.

As La Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below) write this morning, Milan have gone almost two months conceding at least one goal per game. A streak of nine consecutive matches, including the Champions League and the Coppa Italia, with Mike Maignan forced to collect the ball out of the back of his net.

If this end of the season for Milan is turning into a real ordeal, the blame is also (if not above all) on the team’s poor reliability when not in possession. Other problems are added to the troubles: yesterday Kyle Walker suffered a fracture in his right elbow and underwent surgery.

Negative numbers

He will miss the game against Udinese, then we’ll see. In the 22 matches under Conceiçao, the Rossoneri have kept only three clean sheets: two in Serie A and one in the Champions League. Under Paulo Fonseca, it was eight in 24 games.

In the league, Milan have now conceded 37 goals and of the top 10 in the standings, only Lazio have done worse with 42 goals conceded. In short, in view of the return leg of the Coppa Italia semi-final against Inter, the main problem to be solved is at the back.

Milan conceded more than the current 37 goals after 31 rounds in 2019-20 (39, with Marco Giampaolo fired and replaced by Stefano Pioli), in 2013-14 (43, with Max Allegri fired, replaced by Clarence Seedorf) and in 2000-01 (42, Alberto Zaccheroni fired, Cesare Maldini replaced him).

In short, the head coach changes have an impact, but even Pioli in 2022-23 had conceded 37 goals at this point in the season and got into the top four only thanks to the points deduction that was handed to Juventus.

Too many changes

A reliable starting centre-back pairing has never been found under Conceicao. Considering all the competitions, so far six central pairings have alternated and the most used – with five games from the first minute – have been Thiaw-Tomori and Gabbia-Pavlovic.

With four starts is Gabbia-Thiaw and Thiaw-Pavlovic, then at three is Tomori-Pavlovic, while Gabbia and Tomori have been used together on only one occasion. Simple put, it has been a carousel in the heart of the defence, not ideal for building a strong unit.

Two considerations: Conceiçao has tried to give continuity but has not succeeded due to red cards (Tomori vs. Empoli and Pavlovic vs. Lazio), glaring errors and injuries.

The best results (zero defeats) have come with Thiaw-Tomori (three wins and two draws), Gabbia-Thiaw (three successes and a draw) and with Tomori-Pavlovic (two wins and a draw).