Week 1

25/08/2019

Cagliari-Brescia

Fiorentina-Napoli

Verona-Bologna

Inter-Lecce

Parma-Juventus

Roma-Genoa

Sampdoria-Lazio

SPAL-Atalanta

Torino-Sassuolo

Udinese-Milan

Week 2

01/09/2019

Atalanta-Torino

Bologna-SPAL

Cagliari-Inter

Genoa-Fiorentina

Juventus-Napoli

Lazio-Roma

Lecce-Verona

Milan-Brescia

Sassuolo-Sampdoria

Udinese-Parma

Week 3

15/09/2019

Brescia-Bologna

Fiorentina-Juventus

Genoa-Atalanta

Verona-Milan

Inter-Udinese

Napoli-Sampdoria

Parma-Cagliari

Roma-Sassuolo

SPAL-Lazio

Torino-Lecce

Week 4

22/09/2019

Atalanta-Fiorentina

Bologna-Roma

Cagliari-Genoa

Juventus-Verona

Lazio-Parma

Lecce-Napoli

Milan-Inter

Sampdoria-Torino

Sassuolo-SPAL

Udinese-Brescia

Week 5

25/09/2019

Brescia-Juventus

Fiorentina-Sampdoria

Genoa-Bologna

Verona-Udinese

Inter-Lazio

Napoli-Cagliari

Parma-Sassuolo

Roma-Atalanta

SPAL-Lecce

Torino-Milan

Week 6

29/09/2019

Cagliari-Verona

Juventus-SPAL

Lazio-Genoa

Lecce-Roma

Milan-Fiorentina

Napoli-Brescia

Parma-Torino

Sampdoria-Inter

Sassuolo-Atalanta

Udinese-Bologna

Week 7

06/10/2019

Atalanta-Lecce

Bologna-Lazio

Brescia-Sassuolo

Fiorentina-Udinese

Genoa-Milan

Verona-Sampdoria

Inter-Juventus

Roma-Cagliari

SPAL-Parma

Torino-Napoli

Week 8

20/10/2019

Brescia-Fiorentina

Cagliari-SPAL

Juventus-Bologna

Lazio-Atalanta

Milan-Lecce

Napoli-Verona

Parma-Genoa

Sampdoria-Roma

Sassuolo-Inter

Udinese-Torino

Week 9

27/10/2019

Atalanta-Udinese

Bologna-Sampdoria

Fiorentina-Lazio

Genoa-Brescia

Verona-Sassuolo

Inter-Parma

Lecce-Juventus

Roma-Milan

SPAL-Napoli

Torino-Cagliari

Week 10

30/10/2019

Brescia-Inter

Cagliari-Bologna

Juventus-Genoa

Lazio-Torino

Milan-SPAL

Napoli-Atalanta

Parma-Verona

Sampdoria-Lecce

Sassuolo-Fiorentina

Udinese-Roma

Week 11

03/11/2019

Atalanta-Cagliari

Bologna-Inter

Fiorentina-Parma

Genoa-Udinese

Verona-Brescia

Lecce-Sassuolo

Milan-Lazio

Roma-Napoli

SPAL-Sampdoria

Torino-Juventus

Week 12

10/11/2019

Brescia-Torino

Cagliari-Fiorentina

Inter-Verona

Juventus-Milan

Lazio-Lecce

Napoli-Genoa

Parma-Roma

Sampdoria-Atalanta

Sassuolo-Bologna

Udinese-SPAL

Week 13

24/11/2019

Atalanta-Juventus

Bologna-Parma

Verona-Fiorentina

Lecce-Cagliari

Milan-Napoli

Roma-Brescia

Sampdoria-Udinese

Sassuolo-Lazio

SPAL-Genoa

Torino-Inter

Week 14

01/12/2019

Brescia-Atalanta

Cagliari-Sampdoria

Fiorentina-Lecce

Genoa-Torino

Verona-Roma

Inter-SPAL

Juventus-Sassuolo

Lazio-Udinese

Napoli-Bologna

Parma-Milan

Week 15

08/12/2019

Bologna-Milan

Inter-Roma

Lazio-Juventus

Lecce-Genoa

Sampdoria-Parma

Sassuolo-Cagliari

SPAL-Brescia

Torino-Fiorentina

Udinese-Napoli

Week 16

15/12/2019

Bologna-Atalanta

Brescia-Lecce

Cagliari-Lazio

Fiorentina-Inter

Genoa-Sampdoria

Verona-Torino

Juventus-Udinese

Milan-Sassuolo

Napoli-Parma

Roma-SPAL

Week 17

22/12/2019

Atalanta-Milan

Fiorentina-Roma

Inter-Genoa

Lazio-Verona

Lecce-Bologna

Parma-Brescia

Sampdoria-Juventus

Sassuolo-Napoli

Torino-SPAL

Udinese-Cagliari

Week 18

05/01/2020

Atalanta-Parma

Bologna-Fiorentina

Brescia-Lazio

Genoa-Sassuolo

Juventus-Cagliari

Lecce-Udinese

Milan-Sampdoria

Napoli-Inter

Roma-Torino

SPAL-Verona

Week 19

12/01/2020

Cagliari-Milan

Fiorentina-SPAL

Verona-Genoa

Inter-Atalanta

Lazio-Napoli

Parma-Lecce

Roma-Juventus

Sampdoria-Brescia

Torino-Bologna

Udinese-Sassuolo

Week 20

19/01/2020

Atalanta-SPAL

Bologna-Verona

Brescia-Cagliari

Genoa-Roma

Juventus-Parma

Lazio-Sampdoria

Lecce-Inter

Milan-Udinese

Napoli-Fiorentina

Sassuolo-Torino

Week 21

26/01/2020

Brescia-Milan

Fiorentina-Genoa

Inter-Cagliari

Napoli-Juventus

Parma-Udinese

Roma-Lazio

Sampdoria-Sassuolo

SPAL-Bologna

Torino-Atalanta

Verona-Lecce

Week 22

02/02/2020

Atalanta-Genoa

Bologna-Brescia

Cagliari-Parma

Juventus-Fiorentina

Lazio-SPAL

Lecce-Torino

Milan-Verona

Sampdoria-Napoli

Sassuolo-Roma

Udinese-Inter

Week 23

09/02/2020

Brescia-Udinese

Fiorentina-Atalanta

Genoa-Cagliari

Inter-Milan

Napoli-Lecce

Parma-Lazio

Roma-Bologna

SPAL-Sassuolo

Torino-Sampdoria

Verona-Juventus

Week 24

16/02/2020

Atalanta-Roma

Bologna-Genoa

Cagliari-Napoli

Juventus-Brescia

Lazio-Inter

Lecce-SPAL

Milan-Torino

Sampdoria-Fiorentina

Sassuolo-Parma

Udinese-Verona

Week 25

23/02/2020

Atalanta-Sassuolo

Bologna-Udinese

Brescia-Napoli

Fiorentina-Milan

Genoa-Lazio

Inter-Sampdoria

Roma-Lecce

SPAL-Juventus

Torino-Parma

Verona-Cagliari

Week 26

01/03/2020

Cagliari-Roma

Juventus-Inter

Lazio-Bologna

Lecce-Atalanta

Milan-Genoa

Napoli-Torino

Parma-SPAL

Sampdoria-Verona

Sassuolo-Brescia

Udinese-Fiorentina

Week 27

08/03/2020

Atalanta-Lazio

Bologna-Juventus

Fiorentina-Brescia

Genoa-Parma

Inter-Sassuolo

Lecce-Milan

Roma-Sampdoria

SPAL-Cagliari

Torino-Udinese

Verona-Napoli

Week 28

15/03/2020

Cagliari-Torino

Brescia-Genoa

Juventus-Lecce

Lazio-Fiorentina

Milan-Roma

Napoli-SPAL

Parma-Inter

Sampdoria-Bologna

Sassuolo-Verona

Udinese-Atalanta

Week 29

22/03/2020

Atalanta-Napoli

Bologna-Cagliari

Genoa-Juventus

Fiorentina-Sassuolo

Inter-Brescia

Lecce-Sampdoria

Roma-Udinese

SPAL-Milan

Torino-Lazio

Verona-Parma

Week 30

05/04/2020

Cagliari-Atalanta

Brescia-Verona

Inter-Bologna

Juventus-Torino

Lazio-Milan

Napoli-Roma

Parma-Fiorentina

Sampdoria-SPAL

Sassuolo-Lecce

Udinese-Genoa

Week 31

11/04/2020

Atalanta-Sampdoria

Bologna-Sassuolo

Fiorentina-Cagliari

Genoa-Napoli

Lecce-Lazio

Milan-Juventus

Roma-Parma

SPAL-Udinese

Torino-Brescia

Verona-Inter

Week 32

19/04/2020

Brescia-Roma

Cagliari-Lecce

Fiorentina-Verona

Genoa-SPAL

Inter-Torino

Juventus-Atalanta

Lazio-Sassuolo

Napoli-Milan

Parma-Bologna

Udinese-Sampdoria

Week 33

22/04/2020

Atalanta-Brescia

Bologna-Napoli

Lecce-Fiorentina

Milan-Parma

Roma-Verona

Sampdoria-Cagliari

Sassuolo-Juventus

SPAL-Inter

Torino-Genoa

Udinese-Lazio

Week 34

26/04/2020

Brescia-SPAL

Cagliari-Sassuolo

Fiorentina-Torino

Genoa-Lecce

Juventus-Lazio

Milan-Bologna

Napoli-Udinese

Parma-Sampdoria

Roma-Inter

Verona-Atalanta

Week 35

03/05/2020

Atalanta-Bologna

Inter-Fiorentina

Lazio-Cagliari

Lecce-Brescia

Parma-Napoli

Sampdoria-Genoa

Sassuolo-Milan

SPAL-Roma

Torino-Verona

Udinese-Juventus

Week 36

10/05/2020

Bologna-Lecce

Brescia-Parma

Cagliari-Udinese

Genoa-Inter

Juventus-Sampdoria

Milan-Atalanta

Napoli-Sassuolo

Roma-Fiorentina

SPAL-Torino

Verona-Lazio

Week 37

17/05/2020

Cagliari-Juventus

Fiorentina-Bologna

Inter-Napoli

Lazio-Brescia

Parma-Atalanta

Sampdoria-Milan

Sassuolo-Genoa

Torino-Roma

Udinese-Lecce

Verona-SPAL

Week 38

24/05/2020

Atalanta-Inter

Bologna-Torino

Brescia-Sampdoria

Genoa-Verona

Juventus-Roma

Lecce-Parma

Milan-Cagliari

Napoli-Lazio

Sassuolo-Udinese

SPAL-Fiorentina

Is this perhaps the worst fixture calendar for us in what, 10-15 years?

Looks like it.

Look at November wow

DP

we really need to come out of the gates swinging. 9 points before the Inter game is a must...

And that November schedule is brutal

Looking forward to this season! Milan should be tested!

Piatek 0 goals in 5 friendlies thus far is a bit concerning...

Hope he will start scoring when it matters.

I hope he will be able to adjust to the team.

Well, you said there's no problem with the strikers and that I'm overreacting

Err...

If nothing else MF has been fun this summer with you two lovebirds arguing all the time

Yes.

So why worry about Piatek when we have Correa, Leao, Suso and Borini to step in an score if needed, right?

Oh, I had no idea we had signed Correa. Must have missed that.

No we haven't. You were the one who counted him in when you were telling me that I'm exaggerating unnecessarily.

I was talking in case we signed Correa.

Why do you feel the need to make things up.

What am I making up? I said there will be a problem in our attack because everything is depending on Piatek and all (present) alternatives are unreliable. You said I'm exaggerating. Now you state that Piatek didn't score a single goal in a few games and suggest this could be a problem. What's made up?

Because me saying we're fine in attack was supposing we'd sign Correa (or any other striker for that matter). We'd have Piatek, Correa, Leao and Borini (Silva and Castielljo on their way out). Four strikers for two positions. Very logical.

So, I don't see how the fact that Piatek has not been performing in this pre season has anything to do with that.

I think we can all agree that we still need someone else upfront, preferably someone that can play as a SS.

Though I fear we may be stuck with Silva and Castielljo, nobody seems interested in getting them, and I do not believe we will sell below what we paid (any minusvalenza would hurt us with FFP), nor will we accept loans. Same with Laxalt, Strinic, RR, and Hakan. OTOH, we appear to be holding on to Suso and Kessie (that or we are claiming we want to keep them so that we do not look too desperate to sell them). As for Borini, I get the feeling we are keeping him due to his ability to play a number of different positions.

It isn't a matter of logic or counting for that part, it's just that you have the right to push the alarm bottom when you think it's appropriate but when I do it you're playing cool.

Anyway, Correa wasn't signed. Giampaolo's system thrives on a good AM and a prolific striker. Look what a experienced Quagliarella achieved. Now we put all our eggs in one basket with Piatek, even if we somehow end up with Correa. Look at his stats: 20 in 130 (okay, mostly as a right wing/mid). I think he's a good SS but not the main finisher. And if Piatek gets injured or out of form (which he is now) we have a veteran and a kid to cover him, whose goal ratio is 1 in every 4th or 5th match.

All I'm saying is Giampolo likes strikers and if Milan puts everything on Piatek without any other viable option on deck we won't be getting far.

Castillejo was a moronic signing. 25M for a player nobody really rated. His value now is 20M in our books, so selling him for any amount inferior to that would generate a loss. Obviously nobody is interested.



But that’s the club we are right now. We take gambles. I already said this before, because we can’t afford sure-fire players. Guys like Piatek, Leao and Correa are the best options. They’re all talented and highly rated. If they end up sucking then we’ll just have to deal with it.

Yup, same story with Silva


Worth mentioning that our last "sure signings" where Bonucci and Higuain. And one could argue that "the next Ronaldo" was also hyped as a "sure signing" when M&F got him. Bottom line, our only viable option right now is to "take gambles".

Taking gambles is one thing, having a coach that deploys a special way of play/system and not being able to provide the necessary players is another. IMO we need a good trequartista, very good SS and a reliable backup striker, perhaps a veteran or at least someone with experience.

No disagreement with any of this. I believe something is moving in the background (news sources are clueless but I do not believe M&B are idle), and the mercato is not over ... yet. While I think all of us would prefer to have the team wrapped up before training gets started, opportunities do tend to open up towards the end (remember, the days of the condor :-)). Who knows, maybe we will get Modric after all (fresh new rumors in the last couple of days) and Correa or maybe someone else that can actually score goals. No need to panic ... yet.

Well, we’re opting for Suso as trequartista, while pursuing Correa for that SS spot (who can also play as trequartista), all while having both Paqueta and Hakan who can play there, Leao as back-up striker (for whom we spent 30M). I mean, assuming we sign Correa, we’re pretty much covered in all areas for Giampaolo’s 4-3-1-2.

Maybe it’s not congruent with your ideas, but then again, he’s the coach and he knows better than all of us.

The only position I am worried about is that RCM, as I don’t trust Kessie at all.

But you trust Bennacer and Krunić? I'm worried about more positions then just one.

Also, what has the coach to do with all this? It's a business decision to start the season with just one pure striker. I get it, it's probably a risk worth taking, but still...

I think Bennacer is one of the best signings we've made in the last few years.

Also, Leao's main position is CF (https://www.transfermarkt.com/rafael-leao/profil/spieler/357164).

Based on?

Based on my own research.

Okay...

Friendly with Cesena starting soon ...

For anyone interested, decent stream on Facebook

Depressing to watch :-(

I can see what we are trying to do midfield, but it does not seem to be working. Can't break thru a Serie C team defense (too slow), and we appear to be leaving ourselves open defensively (Cesena already scored once in offside, and almost scored before that).

Paqueta making a difference in the second half. That said, I read quite a bit about GP's system, but it does not look to me like this is working the way it should. Suso as TQ is a disaster, IMHO, not sure what GP sees in him.

I will have to miss the rest of the match, but given what I have seen so far ...

What I saw looked pretty mediocre. But then it's a mediocre squad with a mediocre manager so not really a shock.

Danny you nailed it my man

I watched the game while in transit at the airport and found something a little different. I focused my critic on the movement of the team ‘off the ball’ ... in that light I feel the team did rather well.

Let us not forget this is a new formation for ‘this’ squad and some of them might be disoriented at present, i feel by the time the season starts it will be a different Milan. Or else I hope so, as I have just subscribed to the new season via my cable provider

Really? I haven't seen any of the pre-season games, but from what I've read, Suso as TQ has been a delight thus far (sans this game).

Looking at player ratings from Spazio Milan and Sempre Milan, it seems like indeed I am being too harsh.


In other words, not as good as previous pre-season games but still a "6".



As I see it, the midfield was not accomplishing much in the first half, it only came to life when Paqueta replaced Hakan in the second half (Hakan took over for Biglia), and went into high gear towards the end when Kessie came in (I ended up watching the full game after all). Perhaps it's my limited understanding of the game, but Suso felt lost and out of position more often than not. Not many chances were created by him (Paqueta accomplished a lot more). Of course, what chances were created were wasted by Piatek an Samu and (even worse) Silva, but that's a different story.

Suso just isn't a TQ. He's too selfish to play that role. It requires team playing and looking for the runs - he just doesn't do that.

I think you both are wrong - the truth is somewhere in the middle.

Suso was one of the better players last night, according to Tuttosport, along with Donna, Biglia, Paquetà and Calhanoglu.

Anyway, don’t get too upset about last night. It’s just a pre-season game that nobody takes too seriously. Juve also played against Triestina and from what I’m reading they were pretty rubbish (won 1-0).

Thoughts about who will start / should start with Udinese?

GP has gone on record saying he will stick to players that have already been "tested" in his system, which means it probably will be the same formation as the 1st half against Cesena. I am hoping to see something closer to what we had at the start of the second half, with Hakan back and Paqueta on the left. Also, would prefer to see Bona as TQ with Suso on the right (Bona did decently when he played that role, and Suso seems to gravitate to the right anyway). Up front it would be good to see Leao, but if GP feels he needs more time I would prefer Silva over Samu (both are bad, but Samu is horrible).

Good god, Milan is so boring and predictable.

You meant Cesena.

Also, for the other part in bold, Suso on the right? You do realise we'll play 4-3-1-2. So, what right are you referring to?

Yes, Cesena (fixed the post). As for Suso, you are right, what I was thinking will probably not work. That said, Suso was painful to watch yesterday in the TQ role (regardless of what TuttoS**t had to say), yet we are probably going to see him there again. Borini was also disappointing, the entire right was underwhelming until Kessie came in at the end, which is why I am hoping to see something different.

Probable line-up for tomorrow:

Mediaset: Donnarumma; Calabria, Musacchio, Romagnoli, Rodriguez; Bennacer, Kessie, Calhanoglu; Suso; Castillejo, Piatek.

Gazzetta: Donnarumma; Calabria, Musacchio, Romagnoli, Rodriguez; Calhanoglu, Borini, Paqueta; Suso; Castillejo, Piatek.

Signed up for BEIN sports. So ready for this season!!

Hmm..not so convinced. :/

So I read Biglia got injured. What a shocker.

Next I read Giampaolo will try Hakan as regista in Biglia's place. That's great. Hakan regista, Suso TQ, Castillejo SS... what could go wrong, huh?