GdS: An ‘achievable dream’ – why Cardinale left Italy ‘convinced’ by Scudetto bid
Gerry Cardinale left San Siro after the derby win over Inter with a distinct feeling: this AC Milan team can challenge for the title.
Happy as ever about the derby victory, yet still rueful over the defeat to Bologna – a stumble that must not be repeated – La Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below) write that Cardinale departed Italy yesterday, bound for New York, where his family and work await him.
His thoughts however remain firmly fixed on AC Milan and the tasks that lie ahead, with the renewal of Adrien Rabiot’s contract as a short-term priority and the Scudetto as a cherished, long-term dream.
He admitted as much following the loss to Raffaele Palladino’s side, and he feels it even more strongly now, having won his first derby since taking direct personal control of the club on May 25th.
Derby delight
On Sunday evening, following the final whistle, Cardinale chose not to speak to the team. He had already said everything he needed to say to his players on Saturday at Milanello, aiming to motivate and spur them on to bounce back from the 4-2 defeat against Bologna.
The team took his words to heart: after the derby, Maignan and his team-mates could see the joy on Cardinale’s face, even though he didn’t utter a single word. Amorim, who granted the squad two days of (training set to resume tomorrow) offered his own praise for the team’s performance.
The head of RedBird Capital stepped away from the dressing room, wanting the moment to remain special for the players and the coaching staff, but also because he was deeply moved—tears nearly welling up in his eyes.
Milan, its fans, and the project itself all needed a night like this, and the American knew it. Now, however, Gerry expects the level of performance shown in the derby to be replicated in the upcoming matches, specifically the two before the break: Thursday against Ferencváros and Sunday in Genoa.
These are fixtures that will require managing the post-derby euphoria to ensure there is no drop in focus. While some of the squad celebrated at a well-known Milanese nightclub on Saturday night, the focus shifts to Europe starting tomorrow.
The position in the table needs to be improved following the slip-ups against Benfica and Bournemouth in the first three games. Beyond that, further progress will be required in Serie A.
A warning
The only way to close the seven-point gap on Lazio is to avoid any further stumbles like the one against Bologna. On this point, Cardinale and Amorim are in complete agreement.
In fact, while both were delighted by the triumph over their city rivals, that joy only sharpened their regret over the three points dropped against the Rossoblù. Neither the manager nor the owner could stomach the collapse from a 2-1 lead at halftime to a 4-2 defeat.
The two spoke after the derby and are fully aligned: injuries notwithstanding, a Milan side that aspires to be Milan once again – both in Italy and in Europe – cannot afford such lapses in focus.
Beating Inter is satisfying, and remaining unbeaten against their rivals for eight consecutive matches is a positive, but the ultimate priority remains lifting a trophy. City supremacy is not enough, not for Cardinale, and not for Amorim.
