Milan’s successful Scudetto charge this season came in the midst of a lot of change for the Rossoneri: after ending the campaign last year in a disappointing third position behind Jose Mourinho’s all conquering Inter side and Claudio Ranieri’s Roma.
Considering the squad Leonardo had at his disposal, it was not overly surprising that Milan did not end up celebrating last year, but it was evident changes needed to made for the Rossoneri should be competing for the title far more competitively, especially in the absence of Juventus as a true force in Serie A in the last few years.
Ergo, Milan and Adriano Galliani stepped up to the (metaphorical, there probably wouldn’t be one big enough) plate and purchased several new players to combat Inter, whose domination had been all encompassing in recent years. In this article we will analyse the players that have truly key to the Rossoneri turning the tide this year.
Christian Abbiati
There had been numerous questions over who would be between the sticks this season for the Rossoneri, after the purchase of Marco Amelia and former number 1 Nelson Dida moved on from the San Siro, who even in his prime was perceptible to shaky performances in goal for Il Diavolo.
However the reinstatement of Abbiati has brought a sense of security and reassurance in the back line that had previously been non existent in previous seasons for Milan. An impressive 21 clean sheets has proven this, and he has made some fantastic saves this year, notably the game saving stop against Brescia, bringing back memories of his Scudetto winning save against Perugia in 1999.
There are many transfer rumors floating about around Milan this year, but one things for certain, of all the positions the Rossineri look to strengthen this summer, goalkeeping isn’t one of them.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
La Gazzetta Dello Sport summed up the mercurial Swede perfectly this week with the line: “Serie A is a competition in which various teams compete, but in the end Zlatan Ibrahimovic wins.”
After successive Scudetto victories with Juventus and Inter, Ibracadabra has now added the 2011 league title to his already bulging trophy cabinet, now securing 8 league titles in 8 successive seasons, with 5 different teams. An astonishing record for the striker, and it is representative of Zlatan’s ability to change games – his 14 league goals this season has been invaluable to Milan’s success, the former Barca man scoring both important and spectacular goals in equal measure, from his derby winning penalty against Inter in November, to his wonder strike against Lecce and the overhead kick against Fiorentina.
A truly world class player, and Milan fans can feel they have finally filled the gap that Kaka left behind.
Thiago Silva
Put simply, the Brazilian stopper is probably the world’s best centre back at the moment. Cool, calm and a wonderful reader of the game – the former Fluminense defender has formed a wonderful understanding with veteran Alessandro Nesta, and when the two of them have shared the backline Milan have looked like a brick wall defensively.
Consistently brilliant, and the mistakes that the Selecao man has made this campaign can be counted on one hand. Amazingly, only picking up one booking this season proves that along with stellar defensive abilities, Silva is disciplined, a quality that is rarely seen in imposing defenders in Serie A, or elsewhere for that matter.
Honorable mentions:
Kevin Prince Boateng – Gritty, aggressive, hardworking, Boateng has dispelled doubters with his inspiring displays this season, making the trequartista position his own and giving the Milan midfield a bit of bite and fire to partner the traditionally smooth, classy Rossoneri style.
Mark Van Bommel – Eyebrows were raised when Milan snared the Dutchman on a free transfer from Bayern Munich, but the former Barcelona man has impressed many with his assured performances, filling in for the injured Massimo Ambrosini with ease, and proving that despite his age, the Oranje midfielder has proved he still has much to offer.
Clarence Seedorf – Despite being relatively anonymous in the first half of the season, the 35 year old has proven that form is temporary, but class is permanent, making the left midfield his own, rolling back the years with some excellent performances – particularly against the likes of Sampdoria and Fiorentina.
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