AC MILAN have lost to A.S. Varese on their first pre-season match.
The Rossoneri were beaten by a newly Serie B promoted team on Sunday afternoon as new coach Massimiliano Allegri has recorded a loss on his unofficial debut.
Allegri lined-up a 4-3-1-2 with Clarence Seedorf behind Alexandre Pato and Marco Borriello. The defensive line included no first choice player – Massimo Oddo, Daniele Bonera, Kakha Kaladze and Marek Jankulovski.
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The defense played poorly during the first half, and already after 10 minutes, Daniele Buzzegoli opened the scoring. Despite Milan controlled, Varese were the ones to find the sheet again, in the 30th minute, through Marco Cellini.
In the break, the former Cagliari Boss made few changes, as he gave Rodney Strasser the nod as well as to Filippo Inzaghi and new signings Mario Yepes and Marco Amelia. More changes came during the entire second half.
The defense looked a lot better when Yepes and Antonini came for Kaladze and Jankulovski, but the attacking system was not good during the entire game.
Allegri gave place to many Primavera players and Simone Verdi and Nnamdi Oduamadi almost found the back of the net. Oduamadi, performed a wonderful dribble in the 88′ minute, but his shot went just near the crossbar.
The match ended Varese 2 Milan 0. Not too many positive notes to take from this match ahead of the Emirates Cup next weeks against Arsenal and Lyon.
These were the line-ups on Sunday:
Varese: Moreau; Pisano, Armenise, Pesoli, Buzegoli; Camisa, Carrozza, Corti, Cellini, Neto Pereira, Zecchin.
Milan: Abbiati; Oddo, Bonera, Kaladze, Jankulovski; Abate, Ambrosini, Flamini; Seedorf; Pato, Borriello.
After the match, coach Massimiliano Allegri said: “It’s normal that after only five days back at pre-season training that you cannot run like a side who have been training longer. We have put in a heavy session in pre-season and also here today at Varese where we faced a team further on in its preparation.
“It is a case of taking it one step at a time and our goal is to be ready for the start of the season. I was hoping that the result of the first game would have been different but I am not concerned. We have time to get things right in terms of the way we want to play, the ideas and the lift to have a good season.
“We will have to be a lot better against the teams that we will play in London such as Lyon and Arsenal.”
Here’s what Daniele Bonera told at the end of the match in which he completed 90 minutes: “Personally I am satisfied with my performance today as it has been a long time since I played ninety minutes. It went well.
“As for the team, however, there are no excuses, but we felt the hard work we have put in over the last few and we suffered due to the heavy workload lately. We were feeling it in our legs after the intense work at Milanello and that difference could be seen against a side that was further ahead of us in their preparation. I am sure Milan will put in a better performance in London.
“Coach Allegri wants us to play the ball forward quickly and we are doing everything we can to follow that and the group is satisfied with his work. We are optimistic when it comes to the games that count.”
By Meytar Zeevi, Rossoneri Blog
I hope that this was Kaladze’s last game for Milan!!
I would put the Zero on his Trikot and never letting him play again!!
allegri should not follow berlusconi stupid requirement of 2 strikers.milan should play 4-3-3.look berlu.this is why leo dont want 2 follow your advice.
i hope we get trounced in the emirates cup so that berlusconi and co can see we need reinforments. the fact that players like kaladze are still in the squad sickens me.
Varese who were recently promoted to Serie B after 25 years showing a lesson to AC Milan not giving them space for the “new AC Milan” under the leadership of new coach Massimiliano Allegri. Yet, it’s too early to judge this new AC Milan. Nevertheless, Allegri had not dream to debut with a defeat even if it was a friendly.
Wow Milan players look really out of shape! Great job defending Kaladze…keep it up and we’ll win Serie B in 2011-2012 after we’re relegated this season.
all the defence are in the first squad are poor