AC Milan vs. Fiorentina: Winners and Losers from Serie A Match
With a win, AC Milan could have vaulted into third place—that final coveted Champions League spot—which is the objective of their season. They were on a winning streak already. Silvio Berlusconi was watching from high above in the stadium, and he has visited the team every week. Times were good.
But they could not get the victory, not even at home against a side struggling to score on a regular basis.
Milan could only draw 1-1 with Fiorentina, and they could only muster two shots on net. They could not cross the ball or make any sort of impact in the final third. They ran around in circles before actually taking a shot.
Fiorentina themselves were quite composed throughout the match, and they were devastating on the counter-attack once Josip Ilicic came on. He slotted in his first goal of the year after running uncontested on the break.
La Viola also struggled to shoot on target. It was not a pretty match. Let’s look at the best and the worst from San Siro.
Nigel de Jong Playing Like a True Captain
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He may not wear the armband, but Nigel de Jong sure acts like he does. In every phase of the field, he is there, clearing the ball, starting a play or, in this case, scoring the only goal.
The biggest thing about De Jong is his relentlessness. He does get a yellow card for his troubles, but he never gives up on any ball. Without him, Milan would fall apart.
De Jong touched the ball and made more passes than any other Milan player on Sunday, according to WhoScored.com, and there were times when he bailed out his defenders.
Josip Ilicic Finally Gets a Goal
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It was his first of the season, but the goal came 10 minutes after he stepped onto the pitch. Ilicic was all alone in midfield, abandoned by Milan midfielder Sulley Muntari, and the Slovenian took the space ahead of him and launched a great equalizer.
It was only Fiorentina’s sixth goal in eight games. Scoring has troubled Fiorentina without the help of targetmen Giuseppe Rossi and Mario Gomez—both out with injuries.
But coach Vincenzo Montella picked the perfect time to introduce Ilicic, who spearheaded the counter-attack and seemed to give the team a boost in attack.
Milan Falling Flat in Attack
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Rossoneri coach Pippo Inzaghi decided to start Jeremy Menez over Fernando Torres, but the decision was not rewarded.
The 27-year-old Frenchman has cooled off since scoring three goals in his first two Serie A games with Milan. Menez was indecisive in the final third, and he made several poor decisions with the ball.
But he wasn’t solely to blame. Stephan El Shaarawy, who is supposed to be making a comeback this season, disappeared for several parts of the game. His shots were forced outside the box, and he did not get to use his trademark speed.
On the opposite side, Keisuke Honda spent more effort defending than attacking. He could not connect with Ignazio Abate, and he was often isolated on the right wing. The leading Milan scorer did not attempt a single shot.
These three players have the ability to change positions and trick the defence—to play with mobility—something missing with this team. But none of that was there.
Torres came on late, a bit too late. Milan could have benefited from Torres earlier in the game, when they struggled to make a breakthrough. Fiorentina kept a solid wall in front of goalkeeper Neto, and Torres could have stripped away some of those layers with his tricky runs.
Juan Cuadrado Ineffective After Signing Extension
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Juan Cuadrado signed a contract extension with Fiorentina earlier in the week, and the 26-year-old was obviously happy with the deal. But he was miserable on the field against Milan, and he could not get anything going.
For a usually dynamic player, Cuadrado could not cut holes through Milan’s defence, and he failed to make the killer pass. His only contribution to the game sheet was a silly yellow card.
Cuadrado has just a single goal and assist this campaign.
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