Not gonna lie, I absolutely hate facing teams managed by our former heroes. And Gattuso not only played for Milan, but he was later a manager, too. (When he wasn't moonlighting as my favorite football-stealing gang boss). So Saturday evening, when we meet Gattuso's Lazio, it will definitely be emotional. Even worse that, not even worried about the volatile Lazio fanbase, he spoke this week about Milan as "the team of his heart." Just kill me now, please. And it gets worse. His Lazio side have a perfect record as they host our Milan, who are sometimes maybe good, sometimes maybe...
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| What I look like every time we have to face Gattuso. |
As Lotito is prone to do, it feels like Lazio's exits this summer were perhaps more impactful than their signings. Mario Gila, obviously, came to Milan. They lost their starting goalkeeper, Ivan Provedel, who once scored a goal in the Champions League. Our former captain, Alessio Romagnoli, left the club of his heart for a big check in Saudi. They also lost core squad players like Toma Bašic, Elseid Hysaj, and Pedro, the latter duo who are actually without a contract.
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| This feels like one of his classic pranks, yet I know it's real. |
The one signing everyone is talking about is Davide Frattesi, who arrived on loan from Inter. Also on loan is Albert Guďmondsson from Fiorentina, while they actually signed Andrea Pinamonti from Sassuolo for a whopping €3 million. (Those transfer restrictions hit hard, right Lotito?) They did manage to snag a few experienced players on free transfers, though: both Diogo Leite and Danilho Doekhi who left Union Berlin, and Alfonso Pedraza, who was out of contract after his time with Villareal. It is also worth mentioning that Gattuso promoted three players from their Primavera side to help fill in some slots, too.
Despite a rather weak transfer market, Gattuso, whose name is synonymous with grinta, has managed to pull the team together for three straight wins. They are tied for top of the table, but sit behind cross-city rivals Roma and then Inter based on goal differential. After their 1-0 wins over Bologna and Genoa, they mounted a comeback to win 2-1 over Udinese away on Monday. For that match, Gattuso lined up a 4-3-3 with: Mandas; Floriani, Doekhi, Provstgaard, Tavares; Frattesi, Belahyane, Taylor; Isaksen, Pinamonti, and Zaccagni. Our former Rino will be missing Marušić, Cataldi, and Rovella, who are all out with injuries.
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| That time bad boy Gattuso turned peacemaker as Milan manager when the Lazio-Milan fight happened. |
Amorim is either an evil genius, very honest, or did not mean to give a backhanded compliment when he spoke about Gattuso in his press conference. He said, "Gattuso is a Milan legend: talent is not everything." The funny thing is, though, Gattuso himself might have said something very similar, he has always been up front about being less talented than many of his teammates, but closing the gap with hard work, determination and grinta. So Amorim was definitely not wrong.
Despite making some very questionable lineups and substitutions thus far, which Amorim himself admits that he is trying to find a balance and is learning on the job, so far, he is still in good graces with the toxic Italian media and fans. (Well, almost all of them, anyway.) The same fans who started with #PioliOut before he even signed, the same media and fans who turned on fellow Portuguese manager Paulo Fonseca, who was sacked, leaving Milan in 8th place and a nightmare mentality and dressing room to clean up, even if his footballing ideas were actually not unlike Amorim's. Or their compatriot and former Lazio player, Sérgio Conceição, whom they never even gave a chance to, despite him winning a trophy and having a better 6 months than even Allegri's second half of his season, and with whom we would have qualified for Champions League, given his results from his hire date.
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| So far, he still has that new coach smell. |
Perhaps it is the chaos and carnage that Gerald Cardinale has continuously assaulted this club with since purchasing it four years ago. Not unlike his buddy and Dear Leader, everyone is just so exhausted by his numerous and continued crimes against football that they will embrace anyone or anything remotely good that comes to this god forsaken club. Or, maybe Amorim simply still has that new coach smell.
Whatever the reason, having the support of everyone can only help, especially now that he finally has everyone healthy and available. Pulisic, for example, who has not yet played this season after being injured during the summer and having another setback upon his return to training, is clearly hungry to play again. Amorim did say that we will see him on Saturday, which is good news for those of us who remember the time when he got under the Lazio players' skin so badly, they had three red cards in a single match. Other than that, people are predicting a starting 11, but after listening to Amorim, I would not be so sure they are 100% correct.
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| Will we finally get to see Captain America? |
I have no idea how Lazio will do, as we are the first "big" team they will face. But they are still without their fans, who are still protesting Lotito (can't blame them,) so the Stadio Olimpico could be very empty, and loses a bit of the advantage of a home match. But Milan have been a bit lucky to come up with seven points thus far, based on their performances. It's only a matter of time before that luck runs out. Because, and Gattuso's infamous quote really applies here, Milan are "sometimes maybe good, sometimes maybe..."
This post inspired by the music of Nevermore Academy Orchestra's "Nothing Else Matters"
Verona Primavera vs. Milan Primavera
Saturday, September 12 • 13:00 CEST (7am EDT)
This match is not being televised in the U.S.
Pro Palazzolo 1913 vs. Milan Futuro
Saturday, September 12 • 18:00 CEST (12noon EDT)
This match is not being televised in the U.S.
Lazio vs. Milan
Saturday, September 12 • 18:00 CEST (12noon EDT)
In the U.S., this match can be streamed in Spanish on Telemundo or Peacock,
Reviewed by Elaine
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