Football Season Guide

Winners of the 2021/2022 title, last season Milan failed to repeat themselves. Not just that: they had to face major disappointments as they lost both the Italian Super Cup and the Champions League semifinals to Inter, their arch-enemies. And, had it not been for a 3-game winning run which closed their campaign, they could have missed out on a top 4 finish as well.   Despite such results, Pioli was confirmed at the helm of the team but it was decided that the squad would have undergone wide renovation. Thus, they first let go of all those players who turned out to be useless last season like Dest, Vranckx and Bakayoko, while they also opted for one major sacrifice in Tonali, who left for Newcastle United but brought them plenty of cash. In order to replace the key midfielder, they hired Loftus-Cheek and Reijnders, who could become both protagonists in a newly-adopted 4-3-3 formation, instead of the 4-2-3-1 that prevailed last season. Musah could represent a valid alternative for the midfield while Hjulmand could arrive from Lecce. With the aging Tatarusanu gone, they signed Sportiello from Atalanta as the new back-up goalie.   While their defence saw no departures of note, although they lack back-up full-backs, they suffered major losses up-front as striker Ibrahimovic at last decided to hang up his boots, but he had hardly played last season, while attacking midfielder Diaz returned to his parent club, RealMadrid. Considering that Giroud, 18 goals and 7 assists last season, is almost 37 and that his alternatives, Origi or now gone Rebic, hardly left a mark, they hired a back-up in Okafor, who has never played outside Austria and Switzerland, though. But more players could arrive for the striker position. Pulisic and Chukwueze are set to strengthen the right wing where Saelemaekers and Messias underperformed at times last season.