Gattuso finally finds the Milan he was looking for

After a year of ups and downs, and flirting with the sack on several occasions, coach Gennaro Gattuso finally appears to have found the AC Milan he was looking for. The seven-times European champions have spent the last month in the Serie A top four, where they need to finish to qualify for the Champions League next season, and are unbeaten in eight league and cup games. In particular, the winter signings of Polish striker Krzysztof Piatek and Brazilian midfielder Lucas Paqueta have given Milan a cutting edge they badly needed. Piatek has scored four goals in as many appearances since his move from Genoa and Paqueta has brought some spark to a previously underperforming midfield.
Tiemoue Bakayoko has settled well after a slow start following his loan move from Chelsea, and with Lucas Biglia returning after a three-month injury layoff, Gattuso now has to decide who to leave out. “If it’s a problem, we’ll solve it,” said Gattuso, a former fiery midfielder who had never coached a Serie A team before he was handed the job in November 2017.
“Biglia needs time to find his form. Bakayoko is an unusual deep-lying playmaker... he used to choose the wrong passes but now he takes men on, can force his way past opponents and create chances.”
Hakan Calhanoglu is another who has pleased Gattuso in midfield even though the Turkish free kick specialist has yet to score a Serie A goal this season. “You have to look at what he does in the ninety minutes, I expect a lot more quality from him but he runs miles, holds the position and gives quality with Paqueta,” said Gattuso.
It is all very different from December when Milan went four Serie A games without scoring and Gattuso’s future was the subject of daily speculation. But there is still a long way to go. Although they are fourth with 39 points, Atlanta, AS Roma and Lazio are lurking one point behind while Torino (34 points) and Sampdoria (33) are also in the running for a top-four finish.
Today, they visit a rampant Atalanta side who, like Milan, are unbeaten in eight games and have already beaten Inter Milan 4-1 in the league and Juventus 3-0 in the Coppa Italia at the Stadio Atleti Azzurri d’Italia.
“For many years we’ve reached the spring and Milan have been outside the race for the Champions League but we need to break that trend and fight hard to be in a strong position when the final weeks arrive,” said Gattuso. “At the moment, we are doing well in all phases, defence and attack.”
His recipe was very much as expected from someone famed for his combative playing style. “We need to have hunger, a will to train and be together, we need to think of ‘us’ without individuality,” he said. “The team always has to come first and we have to keep going until the end.”
Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo was set for a rare start on the bench as Juventus were hosting struggling Frosinone last night, looking to pull 14 points clear with an eye towards next week’s Champions League trip to Atletico Madrid. Ronaldo brought his tally to 20 goals for Juventus in all competitions last weekend in a 3-0 win over Sassuolo. But the 34-year-old was on the bench for just the second time this season before the former Real Madrid player returns to the Spanish capital next week. Second-placed Napoli dropped points last weekend with a goalless draw against Fiorentina and face a potentially tricky test at home against Torino. Walter Mazzarri’s Torino are four points off the Europa League places.
Napoli will be without midfielder Marek Hamsik for the first time since the former skipper having sealed his move to Chinese Super League club Dalian Yifang. Lorenzo Insigne takes on the captain’s role and insisted motivation remained high despite Juventus’ charge towards an eighth consecutive league title.
Meanwhile, third-placed Inter Milan, nine points behind Napoli, are in turmoil as they host Sampdoria days after stripping star forward Mauro Icardi of the captain’s armband. Icardi’s contractual situation, with his current deal expiring in 2021, has become an increasingly divisive issue between club bosses and the player’s wife Wanda Nara, who is also his agent. The Argentina forward hit back by refusing to travel for their Europa League round of 32 first-leg game at Rapid Vienna last night and is uncertain to play against his former club Sampdoria, who are ninth, tomorrow.
The uncertainty over Icardi, who scored 29 Serie A goals last season, could prove problematic as Spalletti tries to secure Champions League football next season. Inter are just four points ahead of city rivals AC Milan. Atalanta, Roma and Lazio are all one point behind AC Milan. The clash in Bergamo will be one for fourth place, the final Champions League berth, which Roma will also be targeting at home against Bologna, and Lazio at Genoa. Roma claimed a 2-1 Champions League last 16, first-leg win over Porto on Tuesday with teenage star Nicolo Zaniolo scoring both goals.

Fixtures (all times GMT)
Today: Cagliari v Parma (1700), Atalanta v AC Milan (1930)
Tomorrow: SPAL v Fiorentina (1130), Empoli v Sassuolo, Genoa v Lazio, Udinese v Chievo (all 1500), Inter Milan v Sampdoria (1700), Napoli v Torino (1930)
On Monday: Roma v Bologna (1930)