Manchester United Expose AC Milan's Fantasy Football Achilles Heel

There is no doubting that AC Milan have the players to win the Champions League. In Ronaldinho, Pato and Pirlo, they have enough quality. In Clarence Seedorf alone they have enough experience.

But they don't have the right footballing philosophy to win the biggest prize in club football, nor do they have a coach versatile or crafty enough to triumph.

Leonardo's system favours a three up front setup, with absolutely no requirement of any of the front three to track back and work alongside their midfield three. The idea is that, when Milan win the ball, they can spring forwards at lightning pace.

To compensate, Leo picks three midfielders who are, in theory, hard working players who can win the ball and work it to one of the flair players up front. The problem with this system is that one of the three is invariably Andrea Pirlo, not known for his tenacity or work rate. This means that the other two, last night Ambrosini and Beckham, must work harder.

As they're busy trying to stifle a midfield four, this leaves the full backs one on one with the opposition wingers. This is a dangerous game, and we saw both sides of the coin last night. Nani, poor in the first half, did not threaten Antonini or Favalli. Valencia, in the second half, tore Favalli to pieces.

With modern teams favouring attacking full backs, Leonardo's insistence on a work-shy front three means that Milan, without the ball, are forever playing a game of defense vs. attack with a man short.

The full backs have to take the wingers. The center backs take a striker each, and the midfield, with an average age well into their 30s, have to work overtime to cover two central midfielders and two full backs.

However, when we consider the modern preference for the five man midfield, especially away in Europe, the problems multiply. Leonardo's rigid tactic results in an aging midfield being tasked with taking on a midfield five, at this level most likely excellent footballers and almost certainly younger than themselves.

When Milan are on top, they are exciting, incisive and dangerous. But into the meat of the match, between 60 and 80 minutes, they are left sorely lacking.

As an aside, although Milan boast a vastly experienced side, at the other end of the scale is Pato. It is vital at this stage in his career that he learns the right habits to enable him to fulfil his potential. We saw last night that Ronaldinho is not the right role model for this. Wayne Rooney is.

Leonardo does not change his system come hell or high water. This is how Milan play. This is their philosophy, and they live or die by it's sword.

Unfortunately, a mortal blow has already been struck, and they will almost certainly die by it this season.