AC Milan general spiel 2.0

[The MAN]

[San Paolo]

but as spain found out against england, possession doesn't win games, goals do.

[p_maldini_3]

more important than the loss of iniesta is the fact that the bitch danny alves is suspended. we were very solid through the middle in the first match against them, it was only the penetration from the flanks that put us in some trouble.

there was also the factor that our players thought they had less time than they actually did, and were forced into silly attempts at passing under no pressure whatsoever.

i'd like to think that we can take the game to barca, and i feel ibra might help in holding the ball, but the idiot can lose the ball just as well as he can keep it so it all depends on if he decides to show up tomorrow.

once we hold the ball long enough to keep barca pinned back in their own half (which is difficult by itself), i feel we can try to dominate proceedings. but it's always more easier said than done.

[RomaShield27]

@martinainstein @sidlowe @filippomricci all on Ibra's war with Barca, good watch:

http://www.youtube.com/user/loscorresponsales

Article by Paolo Bandini on Ibra/Barca etc:

http://blogs.thescore.com/footyblog/201 ... r-revenge/

Marco Van Basten 100-word hero:

http://giancarlorinaldi.tumblr.com/post ... ord-hero-8

[San Paolo]

Ibra not suited for Barca

Milan legend Demetrio Albertini wasn’t surprised to see Zlatan Ibrahimovic struggle during his time at Barcelona.

Ibra spent just a year at the Nou Camp before heading back to Italy when the Rossoneri swooped in 2010.

“Ibrahimovic, in my opinion, is among the five best players in the world,” Albertini, who briefly played for Barca too, told Marca.

“I just think that he didn't suit Barcelona's style of play. He’s a real winner, but he was not ideal for them.
“Barcelona play a certain style of football with set patterns. This philosophy doesn't suit him. He needs his space to make his individual moves – like he does at Milan now.

“I think that Barcelona made a mistake when they decided to sign him and Ibrahimovic made an error when he opted to join them.”

Milan and Barcelona will face each other in the Champions League this evening. Ibra missed the 2-2 draw between the two sides earlier this term with injury.

[RomaShield27]

Given that Ibra is on good form at the moment – I'm not his biggest fan, but I have to say he was excellent against Fiorentina – and considering all the talk of his time at Barca and all the uproar he's caused, what are the chances he does what he does best and disappears against a big side when his team needs him most? He needs a big game tonight and has no more excuses left.

[The MAN]

It's gonna be a great game and I like the fact that it's not a HUGE pressure game for us, we've already qualified, we are expected to finish second so it won't be a shock if we can't take the top spot...the only thing that I absolutely do not want to see is a heavy defeat, other than that, I'm looking forward to the game and show us where we stand amongst the best in Europe. I think we're in good form and played a very good game on Saturday, unlucky not to win. Allegri has to get the starting XI lineup right, I'm hearing Seedorf might start ahead of Aquilani/Nocerino, this makes no sense to me, he's a better option on the bench for this one.

[DCGweez]

[red]

It'll be 0-0.

Barca are going to have 75% possession and bore us all into submission, but not bother to actually try and score a goal.

[RomaShield27]

– Milano, 24 November 2011

The match of the year sees Guardiola's men win 3-2 after taking the lead three times, through Van Bommel's own goal, Messi's penalty and Xavi's winner. AC Milan twice pull level through Ibrahimovic and a peach from Boateng. The Catalans deservedly top the group
The greatest show since the Big Bang was at San Siro. It was staged by AC Milan and Barcelona in a star-studded display rightly won 3-2 by the Catalans, since they were quite simply the better side. They excited and excelled – they scored, conceded, reacted and ran out winners. AC Milan gave their all, but there's a gap between the sides and they couldn't hide it. They replied to Van Bommel's own goal and Messi's penalty with masterful strikes from Ibrahimovic and Boateng. But when Messi decided to put Xavi through for the winner it was from another planet. The moral of tonight's story is that the Rossoneri take second place in the group and the great challenge, not yet within their reach, is for another day.

THE USUAL SCRIPT — AC Milan hit the stage running. From the word go they pressed high, with Boateng leading the charge. And in the opening minute a ball in the area had Ibrahimovic warming up the home support. This is the only way to have a hope of beating Barcelona: stay forward and prevent their magicians from keeping the ball and leading you a dance. Which was proved after just four minutes, when Messi beat all his markers and released Villa, who shot high from the right. Ease of penetration is what caught the eye straight away, despite the Blaugrana's changed line-up. With Piquè on the bench Guardiola left his team with a three-man defence, Keita started in central midfield with Xavi on the right. Fabregas sat in behind Messi, Villa and Thiago Alcantara, who was in perpetual motion. The details were different, but the style was the same, and after a promising start Milan found themselves on the back foot and beginning to struggle. Allegri was counting on Robinho, with Boateng in support and the experience of Seedorf tucked in on the left. A header from the Brazilian tested Victor Valdes in the 11th minute, but it was a flash in the pan. Three minutes later Keita collected a pass on the left, centred and watched Van Bommel put through his own goal in an attempt to beat Xavi to the ball.

STEP FORWARD IBRA — Time to go home? If Abbiati hadn't kept out Fabregas' goal-bound shot in the 17th minute perhaps it wouldn't have been a bad idea. But Ibrahimovic had other ideas. He wanted the ball, kept it and made good use of it. In the 19th minute he released Boateng, whose cross found Robinho a yard from goal. Whence he shot over, only he knows how. But there was no holding Ibrahimovic down. Leading from the front, he could see the whites of the Catalan eyes and a minute later was able to capitalise on a superb pass from Seedorf, putting the ball past Valdes with his left foot. Game on, and what a game it was.

WHAT A MESSI — Quick to react, in the 23rd minute Barcelona set Messi up two yards out, but he could only hit the bar. On 30 minutes referee Stark pointed indulgently to the spot after Xavi had made a huge meal of a slight brush with Aquilani, though it was the goal-line assistant who signalled the foul. Messi ran up, stopped in his tracks and scored, but Stark showed him the yellow card and ordered a re-take. Which Messi duly dispatched to regain the lead. Two minutes later Abbiati was on hand to prevent Villa making it 1-3, but a collapse was in the air. Boateng tried his luck at the other end with a left-footed volley, but in the 39th minute Messi mesmerised San Siro with an astonishing slalom, only to conclude it with a weak shot which Abbiati was able to block. As half-time approached Milan raised their game again and began to threaten with Robinho and Boateng, forcing Puyol and his rearguard to resort to some rough stuff. But they were unable to keep up the pressure, only looking dangerous when Barcelona took their foot off the pedal.

PRINCE BOATENG — Allegri had little choice but to replace Robinho with Pato for the second half. But the changes of pace and passing movements displayed by the Catalans provided a constant and lethal threat. They came forward in sudden bursts and unforeseeable flashes, such as the move which gaave Villa an opening in the 53rd minute. But this was a night of duels and challenges. Ibrahimovic had thrown his gauntlet down, and in the 54th minute Kevin Prince Boateng did the same, in unforgettable style. Harpooning a high ball in the area, in one movement he set it up with a flick of the heel and then rammed it between Valdes and the near post. Milan's undimmed pride enabled them to produce such moments of fine football, but they were up against a fabulous team, able to punish the slightest uncertainty. And so it was that in the 63rd minute Messi threaded a ball into the area for Xavi to wrap things up with a low shot that gave Abbiati no chance.

FINALE ALL HEART — Thus spake Barcelona, helped, among other things, by Nesta's departure in the 66th minute following an injury. On came Bonera, while Guardiola replaced Villa with Sanchez, who after just two minutes was unable to convert a chance following a miraculous save by Abbiati. Nocerino came on for Van Bommel, but that was never going to be enough to counter the geometrical precision of Messi and Fabregas, the invention of Alcantara and the strength and experience of Puyol. Milan threw their heart into it but by the end were too tired to haul themselves back. Barcelona take the spoils. AC Milan bow to the better side. Redemption awaits in the last sixteen.

Gaetano De Stefano

[Lupa]

LA GAZZETTA DELLO SPORT
The Cover: Milan Great, Barcelona Too Much
Inside: Milan K.O with heads held high

CORRIERE DELLO SPORT
The Cover: Milan are up there
Inside: Milan-Barca, what a show!

TUTTOSPORT
The Cover: Milan, shame! Two comebacks weren’t enough. But what a show!
Inside: Milan, you’re worthy of Barcelona

CORRIERE DELLA SERA
Cover: Football show at San Siro
Interno: Milan take a bow

LA REPUBBLICA
Cover: Sealed by Messi, Milan give in to Barcelona
Inside: Applause and a great show at the San Siro but Barca are still untouchable.

IL GIORNALE
Inside: Barca score three while Milan score an own goal, but what a show!
Everyone on your feet, here are the unreachables!

http://www.acmilan.com/en/news/show/137466

[RomaShield27]

Ciao, please see the for news about some new features coming to the site, including our own (like that shit). Also, on a completely unrelated issue, please visit the , grazie!

[red]

Stupid tactics from Milan last night.

Left the game far to often and there was almost always a huge gap between the defence and midfield.

Allegri's decision to play Aquilani over a more defensively minded player also hugely backfired; all three Barca goals came, at least partially, because Aquilani failed to track a midfield runner properly.

Milan should also have been more willing to play long and early to Ibrahimovic as, particularly in the second half, that was the only way they looked capable of getting the ball to the forwards.

Oh, and Robinho is just terrible.

[RomaShield27]

You have to consider the circumstance of the game. Both teams were already qualified, and it was a winner take all and top of the group finish scenario. So they went for the win. I doubt we'd see them play such tactics in a knockout game against Barca. It made for a very entertaining game, anyway, one in which Milan could have won on a different night (and maybe with a different ref).

Milan make Tevez move
– Thursday 24 November 2011

Sky Sports Italia are reporting that AC Milan CEO Adriano Galliani has opened the process of bringing Argentinean forward Carols Tevez to I Rossoneri after engaging in negations with the players agent.

At a meeting in the Lombardy city this morning it is suggested by the Italian sports broadcaster that Galliani was looking to find a way for Tevez to accept a reduction in the astronomical wage the player currently receives in Manchester.

The Manchester City star has fallen out of favour with Citizen's boss Roberto Mancini following numerous incidents that have alienated himself from the Italian coach and the club. Unfortunately for Milan however is the player is not eligible for the sides Champions League campaign should a move be completed in January.

[red]

[maro]

[The MAN]

Well the penalty was not legit and at best u can say extremely soft. The whole game was a refereeing disaster, first half in particular. They might be the strongest team in the world, but they are also the best team in the world in diving too.

At this point, it's obvious Barca have the UEFA refs in their pockets. I'm not saying that based on one game. For 4-5 years they keep getting all their botched calls in their favour in almost every big game in the Champions Leage. Starting with that Shevchenko disallowed goal in Nou Camp in 2006 CL 1/2 final, they've been on a roll...Milan, Inter, Real, Chelsea, Arsenal and a few other big teams to name a few have all suffered from the same fate. This is no longer a coincidence


Overall, I think the majority of Milanisti probably feel more satisfied with yesterday's performance compared to the game in Nou Camp even if the result was worse. For the most part, I think Milan matched Barca blow for blow, though they do have more quality and can create chances at any instance, Milan are not quite there yet but a draw would not have been an unfair result yesterday

[The MAN]

[San Paolo]

[red]

Pressing is fine but you have to do it properly.

Milan don't have an athletic enough team to press hard for long periods.

All that happened was that Barca had to play one or two sharp passes to get beyond Milan's entire midfield and they were off running at the defence. Even if the rest of the team was going to press hard, Van Bommel should still have held deeper to provide some sort of obstacle. The pressing also meant that Milan were exhausted by the time Xavi scored and didn't have the energy to get back in the game.

Milan's midfield just isn't good enough to take Barca on in an open game. They need to sit deep, narrow and compact and look to their attackers - where Milan do have top class players - to try and win the game for them.


And I'm pretty sensitive about pro-Barca reffing. I can't say I detected it last night. The officiating was just poor in general.