Sacchi sends message to leadership: “The history of Milan deserves much more” | OneFootball

Arrigo Sacchi was once again left disappointed by AC Milan in their Champions League defeat to Dinamo Zagreb last night, calling on them to wake up.

Milan’s hopes of a top eight spot and direct qualification for the last 16 fell apart in the final game with a defeat against a side that didn’t even make the play-off spots in the end.

Dinamo scored first when Martin Baturina capitalised on Matteo Gabbia’s error to run through on goal and score, and then Yunus Musah was sent off for two yellow cards 20 minutes apart.

Christian Pulisic levelled things early in the second half for the 10-man Rossoneri, yet parity was short lived as Marko Pjaca restored the lead for the home side, one that they would hang onto.

Having have missed out on direct qualification for the last 16, Milan face a tricky play-off against either Juventus or Feyenoord, then if they get through that either Inter or Arsenal await.

Sacchi spoke in his usual post-matchday column for La Gazzetta dello Sport and he gave an overall assessment of how Italian teams did in Europe, criticising Milan as part of it.

“Only one team in the top eight: Inter. Three in the playoffs: Milan, Atalanta, Juventus. And one eliminated: Bologna. Objectively, we could have expected more from the Italians, especially from Milan and Juventus,” he began.

“The Rossoneri lost in Zagreb against opponents who were inferior from a technical point of view, the Bianconeri were booed by their own fans after the home defeat against Benfica.

“It is true that both have the possibility of moving forward, winning the play-offs, but to succeed they need to wake up and not make the same blatant and banal mistakes seen in the last round.

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“Our football is progressing, I have no doubt about this because it is enough to watch the matches of our Serie A to realise it: it has finally acquired knowledge and courage.

“We are no longer the nation that plays catenaccio and counter-attacks: we have ideas to propose, we have the desire to show our qualities, to put on a show, to entertain people. However, even the big teams, like Milan and Juve, must quickly adapt to growth. Let’s try to see what this renewed Champions League has said so far.

“1) Inter can fight to win it. The clear victory against Monaco, with a hat-trick from Lautaro Martinez, and the entire journey made by the Nerazzurri in Europe prove it. A complete team, experienced, full of talent (and what a great striker Lautaro is!) and with a great spirit of sacrifice.

“2) Milan disappointed me once again. A performance to forget. But the problem here is that mistakes have been made since the beginning of the season, and now it becomes difficult to remedy them. In my opinion, it is necessary for the directors to reflect on what has been done, because the history of Milan deserves much more than what we are seeing. And, please, let’s not blame Sergio Conceiçao who has just arrived…

“3) Juve are in a phase of dangerous involution. They are unable to take the road that would lead to a total cultural revolution. Thiago Motta is good, he showed it at Bologna last season, I think he will succeed in the long run, but I understand the anger of the fans who would like to see a more competitive team.

“4) Atalanta are now a force at a European level and for this reason we need to build a monument to the club, to the coach who is a true master and to the players who follow him. The draw in Barcelona is there to demonstrate this feeling. The Bergamo club play openly against everyone, they are not afraid, they fight, they commit and, in the end, they collect applause. Rightly so, I add.

Photo by Jurij Kodrun/Getty Images

“It’s a shame for Bologna, but you couldn’t expect the moon from a team that wasn’t equipped to fight against the big teams on the continent. In any case, the rossoblù have always tried to play the games with courage and humility, and this is something to underline.

“5) The big teams in Europe have suffered a lot. I’m thinking of Real Madrid, Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain. Who would have said, at the start of the tournament, that these three would be left out of the top eight? Now they will be forced to fight in the play-offs, and therefore will have to waste more physical and psychological energy to earn a ticket to the eighth-finals.

“6) The team that impressed me the most was undoubtedly Liverpool. They go at a thousand miles an hour. Stopping the Reds, when they accelerate, is practically impossible and their dominance in the Premier League also demonstrates this.

“After the Klopp era, the new coach Slot has been able, with great humility, to maintain certain tactical principles of his predecessor and add only a few small details to restore enthusiasm to the environment.

“I have also observed with interest the evolution of Arteta’s Arsenal: an English team led with Spanish flair. And this fusion, which means combining Anglo-Saxon physicality and Latin technique, is producing results and entertainment.”