Tuttosport: Facing his past – why Aquilani might feel added motivation to beat Milan
AC Milan will see a familiar face on Sunday at the MAPEI Stadium, with Alberto Aquilani the Sassuolo head coach.
Tuttosport (via MilanVibes) write that Aquilani will come face to face with Milan again 14 years after his only season at the club. It was the Silvio Berlusconi and Adriano Galliani era, the one that had just won the Scudetto and had big names like Seedorf, Ambrosini, Nesta and Van Bommel.
Aquilani arrived on loan from Liverpool in 2011, but a specific clause on appearances prevented Milan from buying him permanently. He hoped to take on a part of the legacy left by Andrea Pirlo, who had just moved to Juventus.
The deal was constructed with a unique formula: a loan with an obligation to buy set at €6m – plus €1m in bonuses – to be triggered upon reaching 25 appearances. That threshold, however, was never reached.
A good start fades
Aquilani’s adventure at Milan began in the best possible way. Massimiliano Allegri used him in various positions, alternating between midfield and attacking midfield. He made his debut against Lazio, providing an assist in his first appearance.
Then came the goal against Napoli, and he enjoyed a starring role in the first half of the season. By December, he had already made 18 appearances for Milan, and a permanent move seemed to be quickly approaching.
Ultimately, his season total was 31 appearances, one goal, and eight assists across Serie A, the Champions League and the Coppa Italia. In the league, he made 23 appearances, with one goal and seven assists.
An ankle problem changed everything. The injury forced Aquilani to a longer-than-expected layoff: initially, it was thought to be around a month, but his recovery dragged on for several weeks. The midfielder only returned to action in March, but by then he had slipped down Allegri’s pecking order.
Milan were engaged in the Scudetto race, and the coach began to increasingly use other options, including Urby Emanuelson. Aquilani stopped at 22.5 appearances, according to the clause which dictated games played as a substitute were worth 0.5, while those played from the start were worth 1.
The 25-game mark was therefore not reached. His final appearance came against Novara on May 13, 2012, the one that closed out a peculiar season for AC Milan as well. It was a symbolic match, with the departures of Inzaghi, Nesta, Gattuso, and Seedorf.
According to Aquilani himself later, it was Galliani himself who informed him of the decision not to proceed with the buyout. “He called me into his office to explain the situation, and I appreciated his honesty. Liverpool weren’t happy; they wanted to cash in, felt they were being swindled by Milan, and preferred to negotiate with other teams.”
This reconstruction adds a peculiar background to that season. Milan didn’t exercise the buy-out option, and Aquilani thus returned to Liverpool, before moving on a free transfer to Fiorentina the following summer.
Today, Aquilani meets Milan again as the head coach of Sassuolo, his first Serie A experience as a manager. Previously, he was linked with the Milan Primavera job. He will be looking for a revenge of sorts, and to make a statement early on in his top flight managerial career.
