Ordine outlines what Milan must ‘learn from Inter’ and why Conceicao could remain | OneFootball

Journalist Franco Ordine believes that Inter provide an example for AC Milan to follow, in order to return to the elite of European football.

While the blue side of the city are getting ready for the final in Munich later this month against Paris Saint-Germain, the red side of Milano have a lot of questions to answer about their own future after a 2024-25 that fell below expectations.

The Rossoneri sit ninth in the table despite a positive recent run, while they were dumped out of the Champions League by Feyenoord and won’t be back to compete in it again next season. Thus, there is talk of a summer revolution, with a new sporting director and coach.

Ordine published his weekly column on MilanNews and he provided some reflections on Inter reaching a second Champions League final in three seasons and what Milan can learn from them, something we touched on in our latest audio bulletin too.

“Before turning to current events, we must also take into account the epic success achieved by Inter in the Champions League semi-final against Barcelona,” he began.

“We must not overlook an aspect that is not exquisitely football-related, technical but simply temperamental, the great qualities of the group of men who have made and finished who decide, all together, after having lived through a hellish week (the three defeats between Bologna, the derby and Rome), to get up and go towards glory.

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“This means that in building a team, or in shoring it up as would be necessary in the case of Milan , human qualities (an old obsession of Arrigo Sacchi) are the most precious, even prevailing over footballing ones.

“I would add in this regard: finding motivation from the success of others, for those who live the competition in business as in sport, without getting depressed and beating themselves up every single day, is for people of a special breed. I hope that at home Milan they pick up this message.

“To build such a solid group, you need men who are capable of speaking to people’s hearts as well as improving their specific talent. From here, to return to Milan, the choice of the next coach passes. I continue to take note of some reflections that come to me about Sergio Conceiçao and that are all to be shared.

“The first, for example: Monday evening, after yet another comeback against Genoa, the coach gathered around him the entire group that provided a public demonstration of great compactness. It is not a formal aspect.

“It is one of the essential requirements in a football team, especially after having experienced the well-known divisions of the previous months (cooling break episode and argument with Calabria).

“Second reflection: Walker, in a recent interview, referred to Milan’s obsession in making the players weigh in every day. It is not an obsession of Conceicao, it is a method shared by other coaches such as Antonio Conte, just to make a doc quote.

Photo by Simone Arveda/Getty Images

“Thanks to this method Mike Maignan has recently lost weight and I believe that his performance, increased in this final phase of the season, is also related to his improved physical condition. Ditto for Luka Jovic.

“From these collected notes a possible future scenario emerges according to which, in the event of a successful Coppa Italia and confirmation of the positive climate at Milanello, it could be worth confirming SC [Conceicao] at the helm of the team without having to start over with another coach, another training method, another playing system.

“Also because next season, starting immediately and well, while Inter and Juve are coming off the efforts of the Club World Cup, would be a good and right thing. I realize that this is a notable suggestion. Personal observation: it would be a risky move with some pros and some cons.

“In the meantime, providing for the extension of the contracts of Maignan and Theo would be a further push to restore that climate that I spoke about at the beginning regarding Inter and the contribution of some veterans (Sommer and Acerbi to name just two in this regard).”