Bring on Carlo!

With the Champions League group stages all but over, I thought it timely to reflect on our performances in the group stage whilst hoping that it is Chelsea that we face in the next round.

Our performance in the group stage was overall, average. Sure we claimed two great victories including that classic encounter at the Bernabeu but these victories were over-shadowed by our utterly poor results against Zurich, a side that we should have claimed more than one point from. Zurich are a young and talented side, that there is no doubt. But they cannot be that good as Real and Marseille managed to pick up maximum points in their encounters with the Swiss.

The loss at home to Zurich was a real low point not just for this season but in the recent history of the club. Not since the 2-1 loss to Rosenburg on matchday six of the 1996-97 season have we been so humiliated by such a minnow in our own stadium.

Milan 0 Zurich 1: Milan in crisis

The folllowing victory at the Bernabeu did much to erase from memory that loss at home as it was a special win indeed. Playing against the rejuvenated Real Madrid that included our former star Kaka, how we came from behind to win was moment that will long live in the memory.

Real Madrid 2 Milan 3: A special win for Milan

In the return match against Real at the San Siro we did well to come back and claim a point for it was all Real in the first half. But if we rode our luck in the first half against Real then the point we claimed against Marseille in the following match was a near miracle. Despite going a goal up early on, we were soon bullied off the park as the visitors took control of the midfield and did not allow us to gain any rhythm in our play. Brandao’s miss close to the end of the match will probably go down as the miss of this seasons Champions League and had that gone in, we might of have to accept Europa League. Our stumbling finish to the group stage continued as we travelled back from Zurich with a point only thanks to a Ronaldinho penalty.

Contrary to previous seasons, our form, of late at least, has been better in Serie A than in the UCL. In Serie A we have been in stunning form and at the moment are on a five match winning streak. But in the UCL, we have drawn our last three matches and in the latter two matches we have failed to perform. I put this trend down to the fact that Serie A, in a way, suits our older players better as it is slower. In Europe against Marseille and Zurich, we faced many younger talents who simply over-ran our older players. The pace in Europe is significantly faster and despite our free flowing attacking style, our midfield, where every player is 30 or older (excl. Flamini who does not start), is rigid and slow.

Both Zurich and Marseille recognised this and subsequently set out to stop our midfield in which they did so very well. By preventing our midfield from having time on the ball and less control of it, we simply were prevented from playing. There is no solution to this problem other than to field younger players who have more stamina and legs than our current midfielders. The arrival of Beckham may help alleviate the pressure on the likes of Seedorf and Pirlo to perform week in week out, however, Beckham is also no spring chicken and at the age of 33 will suffer also when pitted against younger and faster opposition.

It is not just a lack of legs in the midfield that is a real problem but we are deficient in defensive qualities too. Pirlo is a poor defender, Seedorf’s role is not deep enough for him to provide much defensive cover. Defensive duties fall to Ambrosini or Flamini when he is played. And though Ambrosini has been stellar of late, the other night in Zurich he had a poor game and it was clear how much the team suffered as a result. Ambrosini has never been one of the better defensive midfielders around and at the age of 32, he also is at a disadvantage against younger and faster opposition.

We move on to the next round as a side capable of achieving great results but prone to being nullified against well organised opposition who have done their homework. Whoever faces us in the second round will surely analyse our matches against Zurich for the Swiss have really shown the rest how to stop us.

It is daunting to see the sides we may face in the second round. Barcelona, Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Sevilla or Bordeaux. But we should not fear anyone despite our problems. We have proven it over the years that in the UCL, we Milan, always have a chance. Especially this season, where we have been playing some of our best football in years.

I really hope we get Chelsea. Not just because it will see Ancelotti up against his old side, but also because I believe we have a really good chance against them. Chelsea are similar to us in that many of their star players, Ballack, Deco and Lampard and Drogba are all on the thirty or older. We also will know alot about how they will approach the game from Ancelotti’s time at Milan.

Milan Legends: Carlo Ancelotti

Furthermore, playing against Ancelotti will give the players much more motivation than say a tie against Sevilla. It will be similiar to when we played Real Madrid and faced our old star Kaka. In those two matches the players really wanted to prove that they could live without Kaka and even beat him. A similar motivation will be found amongst the players if faced against Ancelotti. Ronaldinho in particular and more than any other player, will be highly motivated to prove something to Ancelotti since it was Ancelotti who left Ronaldinho on the outer last season.

We may have stumbled over the line but it was mission accomplished for qualification was achieved. We wait with anticipation the draw of the next round but for now the focus turns to Serie A. There are some important matches ahead starting with Palermo this weekend. Watch this space asa I will preview this match tomorrow.