A dreadful start to the campaign saw AC Milan languishing in the lower regions of the Serie A table for the majority of the opening half of the 2012-13 season, however their recent upsurge in form has seen them climb to fifth in the league, and they sit just six points adrift of the all-important third Champions League qualification spot.
The Rossoneri lost five of their opening eight games; however a sequence of just one defeat in their 10 league matches has ensured the pressure of head coach Massimiliano Allegri has been relieved, for the time being at least.
The turning point in Milan’s season came about when the side trailed Napoli by two goals, before a Stephan El Shaawary double rescued a point. That unlikely point was then back upped by a solid victory against the champions Juventus the following week, thanks a Robinho penalty.
At times this season Milan have been poor, however in the form of El Shaawary they have arguably the best player in the league and despite his tender age, at times he has carried Milan through their poor form. The Italian international is currently the league’s second top goalscorer and his stock has significantly risen this year, making him the clubs prized asset.
An improvement in form, coupled with the inconsistency of their rivals, has ensured a top three finish isn’t out of the question. At times the likes of Lazio and Inter have looked good enough to challenge for the Scudetto, yet both clubs best chance of silver wear this season will come via either the Europa League or the Coppa Italia. If the Rossoneri can continue their fine run of form, then they can easily overhaul these two.
With the arrival of Mario Balotelli, the club have signed not only a controversial figure but a world-class talent, whose time at Manchester City perhaps wasn’t given the credit it merited by the British media. The former Inter forward has the ability to help his new club finish in the top three, if his mentality is correct.
Despite all of these points that suggest they can sneak their way into the Champions League, there are plenty of reasons why they aren’t in the top three at the moment, and why they won’t be come May.
The experience that left the San Siro in the summer has ensured that AC Milan are a club in transition. And in the form of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Thiago Silva they had the best striker and defender respectively in Italian football, but given their financial state, they had to let brilliant duo go.
Any club would struggle given the loss of their two best players and with Italian football losing a fourth of their Champions League representatives, qualification for Europe’s elite competition is harder than usual.
Balotelli aside, the window has been a quiet one for Milan, with Cristian Zaccardo the only other addition. Considering the weakness of their squad, I’m sure Allegri would’ve preferred to have brought a couple more players through the San Siro doors.
In October many would have said the only way the Rossoneri would have qualified for the 2013/14 Champions League would be via winning the trophy this year, but now the Italian giants sit fifth and only six points behind Lazio in third making their challenge a more realistic one than many had expected.
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Milan also brought in Bartosz Salamon, who looks to be a good defensive player. If Zaccardo and Salamon come good, Milan definitely has a chance to get a champion’s league spot.