FRANCO BRIENZA’S stoppage time goal proved to be a dagger to the heart of the AC Milan players and supporters everywhere as it claimed all 3 vital points for Atalanta, which Milan desperately needed to stay in the hunt for a EL spot.
The game could not have started any worse for the visitors at Bergamo as Atalanta pressured Milan from the starting whistle. Almost from the off a nice one-two from Atalanta finds Carmona making a nice run into the box but Milan’s beast Nigel de Jong made a great last ditch interception and broke up the play or who knows what would have happened.
The 10th minute saw Milan’s first chance of the game. Following an Atalanta attack, the Rossoneri start the break with striker Mario Balotelli collecting the ball in a great position. Midfielder Ricardo Kaka makes a masterful run behind the defense but proves unable to control Balotelli’s pass and the attack goes nowhere.
Atalanta-Milan: Official line-ups
Seedorf: “Berlusconi? My only focus is on the match”
The game was kind of end to end after that for awhile with Milan threatening from set pieces the most as de Jong, who scored a lovely header in the last game, missed two chances to connect in the opening 20 minutes. The first was from a lovely set piece played in by Balotelli, while the second was from a corner that midfielder Keisuke Honda had taken.
From then on out German Denis took over for Atalanta and began dicing up the Milan defense. First it was in the 20th minute when the Argentinian could not get a proper head on the cross of teammate Davide Brivio. Three minutes later Atalanta rob Honda of possession and Brivio was able to play in Denis. The striker had his back to goal so he passed to midfield teammate Carlos Carmona who was unable to put any effort behind the shot and it was easily saved by Amelia.
The 30th minute saw another effort from Denis go begging as his left footed shot took a slight deflection off Milan defender Adil Rami and rolled harmlessly past the post. Five minutes later Maxmiliano Moralez is unlucky not to open the scoring when his flick on header from a free kick has Amelia beaten but whizzes just past the post.
Milan then began taking over the game shortly before half time and Captain Riccardo Montolivo finds Kaka in the box but the Brazilian hometown hero’s header is straight at Atalanta keeper Andrea Consigli. Two minutes later, Balotelli hits the bar when his free kick is barely tipped into the crossbar by Consigli. Just before halftime Balotelli tries another free kick and Atalanta’s shot stopper punches the ball to safety.
Out of the break came Milan’s best effort as fan favorite defender Mattia De Sciglio played in a beautiful cross from the right which found Kaka completely unmarked, but his header went wide. Milan take the lead on an own goal by Gianpaolo Bellini who was trying to clear midfielder Sulley Muntari’s cross but tipped the ball into the back of the net for a 1-0 advantage.
The 66th minute saw exactly why left back Kevin Constant is a risk, as he clumsily runs over Carmona in the box and the ref points to the spot. Denis slots home from 12 yards away. The game then saw some ugly moments from French defender Philippe Mexes and Cristian Raimondi who both earned yellow cards for their confrontation.
The game traded some attacks on both ends but it was stoppage time that proved to be decisive. Before the go-ahead goal by Atalanta, Balotelli hit the post again as his effort from the corner of the penalty box smashes the post with keeper Consigli stuck in cinder blocks. Franco Brienza then put the game away five minutes later from a beautiful first time strike into the corner of the goal on what proved to be the final kick of the game.
For Milan the loss was a difficult one to swallow. With drama ensuing in the press all week between owner Berlusconi and manager Seedorf, it was a relief to finally watch the team play. The game was a welcoming back of sorts for Stephan El Shaarawy who made some nice runs and did some good things after his introduction in the second half.
All in all it was a dismal performance for the Diavolo who were counting on a win today to help their EL qualification chances. Those took a serious hit with this loss and proved to be yet again an instance where the team blows a lead.
As always Forza Milan!
They never had a lead cause Atalanta scored all three goals. B&G should sit on the bench and coach this squad next season. Lets even see what they can achieve.
We were quite lucky last year to claim Ch.L. spot, but justice is justice and this year we get what we deserve.
Maybe it’s good for Seedorf to leave, as this chaotic AC Milan can only hurt him nowadays…
AC Milan management is pathetic.
It kills me to see that had we won today we would be comfortable in 6. Every team result went our way and we couldn’t manage it. Sums up our season, I guess our last game we have to hope all Parma verona and torino lose
Can’t say I wanted us in the Europa League, just sucks this is B&G’s “justification” of sacking Seedorf and bringing in another puppet like Allegri
It hurts to see a team like this 1.we donot deserve to be in europe. 2.allegri shud have been sacked longg ago…. 3.cant blame it all for Seedorf and balotelli. 4.This is quite clear now that this squad is not competitive at all. 5.management shud be kicked by fans for this(Especially Galliani).Too much harsh words but in truth its not 1% of the disrespect he deserve. Things to be done…. 1.replace Seedorf(With respect) by Montella/donadoni/spaletti. 2.replace Galliani(sack) with Paolo M. 3.Its time to Spend some money… 4.a new LB,a new GK,a new CB,a new CM. 5.a player to complete the… Read more »
OH MY GOD GUYS! Seedorf sucks! I can’t believe he didn’t win this game! It’s obvious he’s so inexperienced! I mean Inzaghi would’ve won 7 of the last 8 instead of just 6! We need to buy Pepe and Suarez and fire Seedorf and bring in Maldini, Nesta, Gattuso. Also we need to play Petagna, Saponara, Pacifico, and Gabriel more often! -_-
Sarcasm?
racism as well… All these “supporters” throwing bananas and racist chants should be at least banned at all stadiums for life.
My ratin on Sunday mornin.
Rami, very good
Mexes, average
Constant, wow
Honda wow
Montolivo, bad
Kaka, terrible
SES, good
Mario, bad
Muntari, average
Seedorf, bad (but has done enough overall n shud stay)
Galliani, amazinly terrible.
Berlusconi, tank u for this situation
Fans, great.
please never post this nonsense again…
Was good to see SES make his comeback and he played quite well. Everything else was poor. No Europa League means we can focus on the league, but the way the club is being run makes me quite pessimistic about next season. But I will always believe in Milan. FORZA ROSSONERI!
Well step 1: “Replace Seedorf with Respect” is already a failure after Silvio and Galliani’s childish comments.
It hurts to see some fans saying ”Sack Seedorf”.
*SEEDORF MUST STAY*
i said so because if seedorf stays he will be treated like leonardo…….and that would hurt more…………
Evilsconi made such statement on the eve of d most important match of the season and expected posituve result? Someone please take this child abuse expert to the psychiatric.
As for Evilliani, anyone can write this down today, he would leave Milan in shame and embarrasement. I Love this club and nothing would take away my heart off it.
FORZA SEEDORF… FORZA AC MILAN
Its time for this idiot to sell the club. WE NEED quality players. I like seedorf, but I know hes not the right man…. we need a coach who can get the most out of the players and give us our own style of play that we can be proud of. Because right now and throughout the whole season we had no specific style and the goals we scored we mostly random individual efforts. It needs to be a team effort
You are right about some things but Seedorf is doing good and he needs support from Uncle fester and Plastic face to get the players he need for his style of football
Once milan lose, some fans ready to point fingers at Seedorf and balotelli. This team was built badly and that started from buying free players and players on loan, even ibrahimovic said that milan needs quality. Galliani used to be a GENIUS but now he is too old for that role, the same goes to Berlusconi, I Thank him for everything he has done but he needs to get his act together and be a leader he once was because this club is falling apart.
The way that I see things is that Seedorf and balotelli are getting so much criticism and pressure because they are black. Allegri was much worse with matri and Galliani and Berlusconi didn’t say anything about it. This is very shameful and a disgrace. They are destroying the image of the club with so much history
@Lumen, i will be glad if Seedorf leaves not because he has done a bad job but because i want to see how Galiani’s choice of coach will attained mid table next season with their mediocre transfer strategy. Montella is already complaining that management shouldn’t expect much if thet don’t invest and we see how spalleti did badly with so much quality players at zenith. We can’t even afford €7m for Rami. What a fat joke.
@ Ladon,if your sister or maybe daughter was in School and someone proposed to marry her and she quits school and trusted her husband to be and 6 months before her wedding the husband says he’s not gonna marry her any more without any good reason in the sight of men.Thats exactly Seedorf’s case Vs Silvio,Seedorf left all he was doing in Brazil and quit being a professional player the moment Silvio called him on phone and came to manage a useless team,despite that he did what an experienced coach couldn’t do with a useless team,i have so many reasons… Read more »
ok may we lost europa league but i dont think that CLARENCE must leave … seedorf save ac milan seedorf was the big bam ;)he came too close why we will resign him ? it isnt right .. if clarence left good choice is r.di matteo 😉
5 Point Plan For B&G:
1. Sell part of the club seeing as you don’t want to spend any of those billions.
2. Tell Seedorf you were suffering from dementia attack when you were talking about sacking him and he will be the coach at the start of next season.
3. If Seedorf sucks next season, tell Spalletti and Montella to get lost and bring in Donadoni or Inzaghi.
4. With money from sale, buy some world class players in defence, midfield and attack and beg Pirlo to come back.
5. Check yourselves into care home.
Ciao
What in my mind for next season:
1. Replace Seedorf with Montella or Donadoni
2. Replace Galliani with one of Milan legends.
3. Keep players like Kaka, Balo, El Shaarawy, De Jong, Montolivo, De Sciglio, Cristante, Poli, Saponara, Pazzini, Honda, Petagna and Gabriel.
4. Marchetti, Alex, Rami and Taarabt should be part of the team next season, and maybe Tello and Cerci.
5. Iotti and Pinato could be part of the main squad.
5. No more players like Bonera, Constant, Zaccardo, Muntari, Emanuelson, Amelia, Abate, Birsa, Essien, Robinho, Niang and Matri in the squad.
Reports says,Milan wants to revitalise their attack,so Pazzini could LEAVE to make way for Alberto Paloschi’s return.
I would like Milan to get these players-Perin,Astori,Rami,Pacifico,Juan Bernat,Bertolacci,Cerci,Taarabt,Paloschi.
And sell-Amelia,Coppola,Mexes,Zapata,Abate,Constant,Urby,Muntari,Essien,Birsa,Robinho,Matri,Nocerino,Traore,Niang,and Pazzini,i would have inserted Honda but lets give him more time to prove his,i would have love Christian Ericksen or Sancti Carzola to replace Kaka,but he insisted he will stay.
*SEEDORF MUST STAY*