Last season, Inter Milan ‘shot’ himself in the foot a couple of times, leaving AC Milan to be the unexpected champion. With a young team and couple of average players, coach Stefano Pioli did tactical wonders, and along with Inter’s blunders became Serie A champion. Working with a small budget, Milan’s sporting director Paolo Maldini found perfect players for the club. But their luck turned completely in 2022. All the signings failed, AC Milan was the one to shoot themselves in the foot and now they lost to Inter without a scored goal and will likely to remain out of the Champions League for next season.UCL: Lautaro’s goal of the season gives Inter a win and a trip to the finalsThe season is turning into a bad one, so logically, Milan’s legend Paolo Maldini was asked to justify the signings which didn’t work this season. His explanation – rebuilding the squad with youth players for the future and that incudes players like Charles De Ketelaere, signed from Club Brugge for 35 million euros, who showed nothing.“De Ketelaere is the example of a player who has to improve. It would have been easier and less expensive for us to go for a player like Paulo Dybala at the start of the season. But would he have been the right player for our project? Would he have been appropriate and shared by our owners? No. We have an idea and want to build a young and talented team. It is risky to sign young players. Sandro Tonali struggled in his first season; the same happened with Charles this year. As we said last season, we are not yet built to handle two tournaments. We said that to the media, but also to the club owners, so they know that full well. This journey stated four years ago, which took great results, both economic and sporting, built a young foundation to the squad and there are roughly three years difference in the average age of our squad to Inter’s and that lack of experience tells at this level. If I wanted a stronger line-up I would have made different choices in the market. We have a project which we are developing together“ explained Maldini to Canale 5 after a defeat from Inter.Inzaghi: ‘They asked me to reach the Top 16’, Pioli: ‘We ruined everything in the first game’But De Ketelaere is not the only problem. Former Liverpool striker Divock Origi, joined on a free transfer last summer, scored only two goals in 35 matches.“He has everything to be a great striker. He has pace, shot and technique, but it’s true that he struggles to leave a mark in front of goal. Honestly, we expect so much from him. He joined us as a free agent, but we made an important investment in terms of salary. Seeing him in training, we know what he can give us. He is an experienced player, but he’s not given us what we expected. We signed him to be a backup for Giroud” admitted Maldini.UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUESemi-final, second legTuesday, 16 MayInter – Milan 1-0 (0-0) (first leg 2-0)/Lautaro 74/Wednesday, 17 May22.00: (1.67) Man.City (4.00) Real Madrid (5.60) (first leg 1-1)***odds are subject to change
