AC Milan are in the midst of a strong Serie A season. The month of February showed some tough results, although Milan improved recently. Coming into the season, the Rossoneri would likely have been content with another top-four finish in an attempt to make the Champions League once again and improve club finances. Now, however, the Scudetto is truly in reach.
AC Milan – The Scudetto Is There for the Taking
Recent Results
Milan started February on a hot streak, beating rivals Inter Milan and then emerging victorious in a tight match versus Sampdoria.
The next two league ended in disappointment. The Rossoneri drew versus both Salernitana and Udinese, the former sitting rock bottom of the Serie A table and the latter in 14th. These two very winnable matches ended with points dropped, causing real trouble for Milan’s title hopes. Milan got somewhat lucky, however, as other competitors such as Inter and Napoli were unable to capitalise on this opportunity, failing to win themselves.
The first two Serie A matches in March ended in victory for the Rossoneri, seeing them return to the sparkling form that has become so familiar over the course of the season. The first was a massive one – a 1-0 win over Napoli where Olivier Giroud saved his side and delivered a massive result. Empoli came next for the Italian giants in what should have been another easy win. While they were able to emerge with all three points, Milan certainly made it harder than it had to be. Youngster Pierre Kalulu, who continues to prove his worth, secured the victory for his team.
AC Milan and Competitors
Milan are first in the table with 63 points from 29 matches. Napoli sit second with 60 points in 29 matches and in third place lie Inter, who have 59 points. La Beneamata do have a game in hand, but their recent draw with Torino means Milan now hold the upper hand even if Inter make their advantage count.
The Rossoneri‘s next four matches are versus Cagliari, Bologna, Torino, and Genoa. Home or away, these will all be matches that favour Milan. As the squad regains health, they cannot afford to drop points if the goal truly is the Scudetto. Milan still have two tough matches left as they close out the season. Their two most difficult opponents will be Lazio and Atalanta. Milan discarded Lazio with ease in their Coppa Italia match-up, but they still remain a solid team while Atalanta’s potent attack always presents a difficult match-up.
Napoli’s run-in is similar to that of Milan. They’ll have a number of matches where they’re seen as the clear favourite. Two of their matches, however, come versus Roma and Atalanta. Both teams are quite solid and will cause trouble for Luciano Spalletti’s side. Napoli have been in this position multiple times in the recent past but have always struggled to seal the deal.
Inter’s schedule looks to be the most difficult. Three of their next five matches come against Fiorentina, Juventus, and Roma. Inter will be a clear favourite over Fiorentina, although they are a worthy opponent. The Juventus match is the Derby d’Italia, and so can go either way. Lastly, Roma and Jose Mourinho will be fighting to secure a spot in the Europa League.
Milan have the upper hand in points and likely the schedule, at least on paper. They must view all of their last nine matches as a final or else they may slip up.
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