Mihajlovic spearheads AC Milan’s resurgence in form
Has a sleeping giant awoken? It looks that maybe the case at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza as AC Milan continued their strong play under coach Sinisa Mihajlovic with Sunday’s 2-1 win over Genoa. After beginning the season losing four of their opening seven, the Rossoneri have played well, losing only […]

Has a sleeping giant awoken? It looks that maybe the case at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza as AC Milan continued their strong play under coach Sinisa Mihajlovic with Sunday’s 2-1 win over Genoa.

After beginning the season losing four of their opening seven, the Rossoneri have played well, losing only twice in their last 18 matches. Currently sitting in sixth place, Milan are on the cusp of Serie A’s European places. The Rossoneri haven’t made Europe in either of the last two seasons, but that could be ended if Mihajlovic can continue to get results. The Milan coach is in his first season at the club and rode the wave of high expectations coming into 2015/16. Milan spent over $90 million last summer and immediately raised hopes around the red and black parts of the city.

Sunday’s win against Genoa halted a three match losing streak to the Ligurian side. Thanks to goals from Carlos Bacca and Keisuke Honda, Milan strengthened their push for Europe as a gap has opened between sixth place Milan and seventh place Lazio.

“Where can we improve?” Mihajlovic was asked following Sunday’s win. “There are many areas, as when Mario Balotelli and Jeremy Menez are fit we will have more attacking options and it’ll be more difficult for the opposition to close us down.

“Riccardo Montolivo brings balance and Keisuke Honda did really well. They were jeered in the past by fans, but with grit and determination won everyone over.

“We are in the running for the Champions League play-off and putting pressure on the others.”

While the club spent big in the summer, it has been club captain Montolivo that has improved his play significantly, and the team overall. Despite producing only one assist this term, Montolivo has played some of his best football at Milan. Now in his fourth season at the club, Montolivo has seen the team go from European regulars to tenth place finishers a season ago. According to WhoScored.com, the midfielder is averaging 60 passes per game and completing 82%. Last season, Montolivo never got out of the starting blocks in a poor Milan side under coach Filippo Inzaghi. Ahead of Italy’s 2014 World Cup Finals campaign, Montolivo suffered a broken tibia, causing the Italian to miss 168 days of football. After six months out, Montolivo never got fully fit, playing a total of ten matches. This time around, Montolivo is firing on all cylinders, and has been the backbone to the team, controlling play in attack and helping to break up play when the opposition in in possession.

Yet, Milan wouldn’t be where they are without the excellence of others. Unsung heroes like Giacomo Bonaventura (five goals, seven assists) and M’Baye Niang (five goals, four assists) have been stellar for the club. However, in the club’s excellent run of form, it has been one of their summer signings that has shone. Milan spent over $30m on striker Carlos Bacca, and the Colombian has 13 goals for the black and red. Five of those 13 have come in the team’s last six matches. Bacca’s form has kept the likes of Luiz Adriano and Mario Balotelli on the bench, and has the curva sud dreaming the ex-Sevilla man can get the team back into Europe.

Milan will be put to the test next week as the club travel to play Napoli, who are fighting for their first Serie A title since the days of Maradona. With Europe in sight and Milan in the semi-final of the Coppa Italia, Mihajlovic may put the Rossoneri back in familiar territory.