Catania vs. Milan: 5 Things We Learned
Finally, a Milan-related article that isn't fully negative.
Away at Catania, the Rossoneri picked up their second consecutive convincing win in all competitions, destroying the Sicilians 3-1 with goals from Riccardo Montolivo, Mario Balotelli, and Kaka.
Milan are now mid-table again, and they'll look to continue on this positive streak in hopes of repeating last season's incredible comeback.
Without further ado, let's take a look at five things we learned from this pivotal Serie A match:
Galliani Situation Not Distracting Team
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The entire Adriano Galliani saga that happened over the weekend has not distracted Milan.
As a matter of fact, the injury depleted squad rallied around the situation and came up with their most convincing domestic win of the season.
After claiming that he'd resign because of criticism, Galliani had a dinner with Silvio Berlusconi who convinced him to stay on board, where he'd split various duties with Barbara Berlusconi.
As it stands, Galliani will continue to oversee technical decisions regarding the squad, while Silvio's daughter will handle the marketing side of things including ideas for a new stadium.
Reported Racial Tension
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According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Nicolas Spolli racially abused Mario Balotelli during the match.
A situation of this sort could have dire consequences for the Catania defender, as Italy has increasingly taken a more severe stance against any form of racism.
The infuriated Balotelli was quickly subbed off after the argument.
It's another unfortunate episode in a series of reported racial slurs flung at Balotelli, who has been exposed to such behavior from opposing fans and now even a fellow professional player.
Kaka Proves Doubters Wrong Once Again
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When Kaka arrived in the summer transfer window, he had his doubters. But the longer the season goes on, the more he proves them wrong.
The former Ballon D'Or-winning Brazilian has shown glimpses of the form that made him one of the hottest commodities in world football.
Kaka has been stellar so far, going on his signature gliding runs down the field and linking up well with teammates in the attacking sector.
His goal against Catania came on a run which spanned nearly the entire half, with a beautiful rocket finish into the top corner giving Milan the three points.
With the Brazilian trequartista playing this way, one can only imagine how potent Milan's attack will be once Stephan El Shaarawy and Giampaolo Pazzini come back from injury.
Finally, Something Positive to Say About Allegri
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The much-maligned Massimiliano Allegri has been under fire for the past few seasons, but finally gave Milan supporters something to smile about.
Allegri's team did the best they could with a makeshift back-line that included Andrea Poli as an emergency right-back and the first-ever defensive pairing of Daniele Bonera and Matias Silvestre.
Milan's 4-3-3 held a majority of the possession, threatening much more in the second half and showing just how dangerous they can be when they're running on all cylinders.
With plenty of injured players set to come back, as well as the planned January arrivals of Keisuke Honda and Adil Rami, things can only improve for the Rossoneri.
Better Without Muntari and Constant
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Is it a coincidence that Milan's last two wins have come without Sulley Muntari and Kevin Constant as starters?
While the Ghanaian midfielder has had his moments, he's still not the way forward for Milan in the midfield. A few goals scored in the beginning of the season weren't convincing enough, as Muntari is an awkward player who is too inconsistent to be reliable.
Kevin Constant on the other hand has been the weak link at the back for quite some time. It seems that new starter Urby Emanuelson is a better fit, as he's more sound coming forward and has a much better left foot, bending in the cross that led to Riccardo Montolivo's beautiful volley which tied the match at 1-1 against Catania.
Milan's best midfield three at the moment consists of Nigel De Jong, Montolivo, and Andrea Poli. Expect this to change once Honda comes in, as he can give a much more offensive look in the center of the park.
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