The race is (almost) over. Milan loses in Bergamo and abandons dreams of Europe. If sixth place is still possible for mathematics, the same is not true for logic. The qualification for the Europa League passes from a success against Sassuolo but above all from the hope that Turin and Parma do not win their respective matches. Difficult for this to happen, given that the grenades will face off against a Fiorentina already certain of fourth place and that the ducals will receive Livorno already relegated to Serie B at the Tardini. In short, sixth place is a beautiful and good mirage and perhaps it is right let it be so. Losing in Bergamo was unforgivable for a Milan that had to win at all costs, especially on the Sunday when Turin and Parma drew in the direct match. Seedorf's men could have celebrated a double overtaking, instead they lick their wounds from a disastrous season.
And now even the Dutchman, already on the brink of the abyss, loses any residual hopes of reconfirmation. "We came here to win, but a heavy defeat came," he said after the match. – We could have avoided conceding the penalty, and then in added time we came close to scoring twice with Balotelli. In any case, I postpone any evaluation until the end of the championship, but I have a clear conscience because I'm doing well." Almost a farewell to Seedorf, whose technical and tactical choices have aroused more than one perplexity, which later turned out to be wrong. Why bet on Honda from the first minute leaving Taarabt on the bench? And why not give space to Pazzini first, instead of leaving Balotelli without support again? And again, how to justify the delayed replacement of a Kakà at historic lows? Many questions, which led to an unequivocal lip from Galliani ("this is crazy" the CEO said to his nephew during the interval, before covering his mouth with his hand).
“I don't comment on this thing – glossed over Seedorf. – Taarabt was tired, I preferred Honda. That of Balotelli and Pazzini is a story that has been going on for a long time and that we will carry with us for another week, then we will go on vacation. It's you who want to see them together at all costs, I've already explained why I don't wear them". Yes, but this time the choice turned out to be wrong. Milan in the first half was too bad to be true, photographed perfectly by Honda's performance. Slow, careless, never in the game: even if deployed in the preferred role, the Japanese was disastrous, as certified by the substitution in the interval.
After the first 45 minutes, poor in emotion from all points of view, Seedorf tries to shuffle the cards by changing men and form. Out of Honda in El Shaarawy, goodbye to the "presidential" 4-3-1-2 and space for the 4-3-3. The move seems to work and in the 51st minute Milan takes the lead: Pharaoh recovers the ball, Montolivo verticalizes, Muntari puts in the middle and Bellini, in an attempt to anticipate Balotelli (offside) scores an own goal. The advantage seems ideal for the Rossoneri, who reopen the match sensationally. Constant's fault, who in the 67th minute knocks Carmona out in the area causing Rizzoli to whistle a sacrosanct penalty: Denis displaces Amelia and makes it 1-1. The episode unleashed the Bergamo crowd who made themselves the protagonist of a hateful gesture, throwing a banana at the Rossoneri defender.
The draw is useless and Seedorf tries everything by including Taarabt and Pazzini in place of Muntari and Kakà. The old 4-2-3-1 doesn't produce a show, but some noteworthy opportunities do. In the 91st minute Balotelli hit the post with an unstoppable right foot, then, a minute later, he tried again but his shot was deflected. It seems over, but instead there is room for the latest emotion from Atalanta. In the 95th minute Brienza invents Sunday's goal by beating Amelia with a spectacular left foot from distance: 2-1! Author's play, which is worth the victory of the Goddess. In addition to the farewell to the Rossoneri's dreams of Europe, now linked only to mathematics.
