Two goals inside the opening 30 minutes were the tonic Napoli needed to relaunch their bid for the Serie A title as the southenders were playing hosts to a struggling Milan side late Saturday.
However, instead of building on that strong start, Walter Mazzarri’s side threw away a 2-0 lead as the visitors, with the inspirational Stephan El Shaarawy leading the charge in attack, hit back strongly to draw level and leave the San Paolo with a merited point in their bags.
Milan still trail leaders Juventus by no fewer than 17 points. However, if Saturday’s bold comeback is anything to go by, then the Rossoneri might still have their say in their quest to challenge for a place in Europe next year.
Milan’s shaky start is epitomised in the six defeats – vs Sampdoria (0-1), Atalanta (0-1), Udinese (1-2), Inter (0-1), Lazio (2-3) and Fiorentina (1-3) – they have suffered in 13 Serie A outings so far.
With 18 goals against, Milan also have one of the worst defensive records in the division.
In this regard, the absence of two seasoned defenders in Alessandro Nesta and Thiago Silva, have had a devastating effect on Milan’s rearguard.
Even in the Champions League, Milan’s performances in Group C have left much to be desired.
The seven-times Euro champions have so far managed one win, two draws and a defeat. Tonight, their trip to Belgium to face Anderlecht will surely shed more light on the side’s prospects to reach the next round.
In Group C, surprise package Malaga, with 10 points under their belt, are home and dry. But it is anyone’s guess who will join the Spanish outfit in the knock-out stage of the tournament.
Anderlecht currently have four points and Zenit have three.
In the final round, scheduled for December 4, Milan host Zenit. Two draws might still be insufficient for Massimiliano Allegri’s Rossoneri to progress.
Last week, club owner Silvio Berlusconi made public his intentions to return to the day-to-day running of the club, as he used to do before entering politics.
Indeed, that would be good news for Milan. If there is someone competent enough and who knows exactly what it entails to turn the fortunes of a football club, media tycoon Berlusconi fits the bill perfectly.
Berlusconi was the one who transformed Milan’s fortunes in 1986, turning an almost bankrupt club into a highly-successful outfit that took Italian and European football by storm.
Milan’s current state of affairs are nothing compared to the pre-Berlusconi era.
However, it is a known fact that in the last five years or so, Milan have parted with some of their best players to balance their books.
Riccardo Kaka (Real Madrid), Andrea Pirlo (Juventus), Antonio Cassano (Inter), Silva and Zlatan Ibrahimovic (both Paris SG), along with coach Carlo Ancelotti (Chelsea) have all left for pastures new.
Some transfer moves involving Milan seemed weird to say the least.
For example, did it make sense to let Pirlo join rivals Juventus for free in the summer of 2011 when two years before Chelsea were reportedly ready to pay around €15 million to acquire his services?
Eventually, Pirlo proved to be Juve’s winning card last season.
Also, did it make business sense to exchange Cassano with Giampaolo Pazzini in a player plus cash deal with Inter in summer? And so forth.
Although Milan were crowned Italy champions in 2011, the fans knew that Allegri’s team was never at par with the Milan sides that dictated matters at home and abroad when under the charge of Arrigo Sacchi, Fabio Capello and Ancelotti.
Saturday’s fightback at the San Paolo was a refreshing sign for the Rossoneri as the foundations of a new project and the scoring exploits of El Shaarawy continue to instil some much-needed confidence inside the team.