After a hopeful 2-0 home win last week vs. Cagliari, Renna's Primavera fell once again on the road. This 4-2 loss to Fiorentina Primavera was further evidence that this team are in trouble already this season, and that the club needs to take action to prevent them from having another season of regression. This was only Fiorentina's second win of the season, and they leapfrogged Milan Primavera on the table. After a decent start, this was Milan's fourth loss in five matches. Our team is too talented for this. But after last year and now eight weeks of this season, it seems pretty clear that Renna has them stuck in a quagmire.
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| Anastasio scored his second goal of the season and celebrates with Geroli. |
To be fair, Fiorentina did have a player with a rather extraordinary match. A hat trick and a red card, you don't see that every day. Croci struck for the home side in just the 10th minute. 1-0 Fiorentina Primavera. Both sides battled, and it was all the way in the 39th that Grassini had an excellent chance that was deflected by their defense. Zanaga also sent a shot over the bar. The Viola tried to push hard before the half, but it was still 1-0 at halftime.
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| Zaramella, the late goal scorer, is held earlier in the match. |
The second half started out similarly to the first, so Renna subbed Domniței on for Grassini and Samb on for Zanaga in the 55th minute. Maiga-Hamadoun Cissè was shown a yellow card in the 59th, and just after that, Croci scored his second on the night. 2-0 Fiorentina. Having been on the pitch forless than ten minutes, Samb suffered an injury and had to be replaced by Vincent ibrahimović in the 62nd minute.
But Milan were finally able to show something for all their determination about five minutes later when Anastasio pulled one back. Now it was 2-1 Fiorentina Primavera. Croci had an answer for that, too, though, completing his hat trick in the 74th minute. 3-1 Fiorentina. But then he was sent off for a double yellow card, and now the home side was down to ten men.
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| Renna with Vincenzo Vergine, his boss, who needs to be looking at his work. |
Milan were finally able to capitalize on their numerical advantage in stoppage time, when Zaramella headed it home after a set piece to bring it to Fiorentina 3, Milan 2. But the defense were not able to hold focus, and conceded the fourth goal just a couple of minutes later when Samuel Beldenti hit it across goal and it bounced in off the post. Brief highlights are available.
This was a tough loss to the reigning title holders, but also. a team who has not been great this season at all. Individually, the talent is there. But Renna fails to impress as a manager who can unite and inspire them in difficult matches like this, let alone does he seem to have the tactical wizardry to get the best out of this team. Milan Primavera deserve better, they are better than this. This week, they will all be tested, as they are playing three matches in eight days. But that does not bode well if they continue to be stuck in a quagmire.
Milan Futuro vs. Club Milano
Sunday, October 25 • 14:30 CEST (9:30am EDT)*
Sunday, October 25 • 20:45 CET (3:45 EDT)*
Pavonese vs. Milan Futuro
Wednesday, October 28 • 14:30 CET (9:30am EDT)*
Wednesday, October 28 • 18:30 CET (1:30pm EDT)*
Reviewed by Elaine
on
Rating:
