AC Milan Headed Toward Uncertain Future

The past season was an end of an era in many ways for AC Milan.

Club legend and icon Paolo Maldini played his last game for the Rossoneri after spending a quarter of a century with the team—captaining the side for more than a decade along the way.

Coach Carlo Ancelotti left the bench after eight years in the Italian fashion capital and headed for London to take charge of the Blues.

Star player Ricardo Kaká was recently sold to Spanish titans Real Madrid in order to balance the sheets.

Next season will bring with it a new captain in Massimo Ambrosini, a new coach in former Milan midfielder Leonardo and most likely a handful of new additions from the summer’s mercato.

The transition will be anything but easy considering that the club has lost a large part of its identity as a result of the departure of the trio. Not only has a very big part of the past become history, but a large part of the present has been sacrificed in order to make way for the future.

So where is the club headed?

On the final day of the season, Carlo Ancelotti publicly stated that he and Milan would part ways.

Although the Milan tactician and owner Silvio Berlusconi didn’t see eye to eye on tactics during the past couple of seasons, they separated as good friends and many reports state the players were crying openly on that very emotional Sunday filled with goodbyes.

Former Milan midfielder Leonardo was quickly appointed new coach and judging by his vision, which includes a mix of the Brazilian team of 1982 and today’s Barcelona, the new era Milan is about to embark on does have the potential to be a successful one.

Leonardo wants to play entertaining, offensive, and attractive football with a lot of activity on the flanks. The formation will be set depending on the various players’ qualities as the Brazilian looks to balance the team in the best possible way.

Although some of the Rossoneri faithful initially were skeptical towards the appointment, Josep Guardiola’s success at Barcelona has in many ways opened the door for Leonardo to try out his own vision one on of Italy’s most storied clubs.

One also has to take into consideration that despite his little managerial experience he does know Milan through and through, after spending almost 12 years at the club.

Ricardo Kaká was one of the pillars in the team for six seasons, and in the playmaker, many saw a future legend and captain that would one day lead the team to incredible glory after the era of Paolo Maldini.

Had he been able to decide for himself which club he wanted to represent without financial factors being an issue, there is no doubt that he would have stayed on with Milan.

Instead of the Brazilian finishing his career at the San Siro with the captain’s armband on his arm, he was shipped away in order to solve the club’s financial troubles. Along with him he took a large part of Milan’s present.

Will they be able to fill the void of such a player and person?

A player is never bigger than the club, and the same goes for Kaká. Milan is a mighty club and will survive despite the fact that the club has never let a player of Kaká’s caliber go during Silvio Berlusconi’s reign.

There are, however, some perks in the deal as the money received from the sale can be used to strengthen the current squad. But, beware as this can quickly become a disadvantage if the money is not put to use wisely.

This point has partially been proven already considering that the club’s latest decisions have been all but encouraging. Before Kaká’s departure Milan let go of one of the world’s brightest prospects in Yoann Gourcuff.

The playmaker was never given a fair chance by Ancelotti, but with the tactician gone many thought the rising star would make a comeback in the Rossoneri shirt. Instead the fans watched as the club let go of a legend in the making.

By taking a quick look at the state of the club one can determine that there doesn’t seem to be a real plan for the upcoming season—let alone the future.

Much of next season will depend on what Leonardo is given to work with which goes on to raise the natural question: Will Milan once again go for a handful of low budget players in order to bring depth to the squad or will there be focus on bringing in a few champions to add the dynamic that is currently missing?

Time will tell what fate has in store for Milan. Vice president Adriano Galliani has been adamant in holding onto his players, but as we know nothing is set in stone.

Alexandre Pato is only one of a handful of players that have yet to decide where they’re playing in the upcoming season.

The Rossoneri fans are headed towards an uncertain future where their beloved Milan is yet to find their new identity.