Rome (AFP)
Unleashed, Atalanta Bergamo crushed AC Milan 5-0 Sunday on the 17th day of Serie A, confirming both its legitimate ambitions and the deep crisis that its victim of the day is going through.
Papu Gomez, Pasalic, then Ilicic with a double and finally Muriel: the goals, including several magnificent, fell in avalanche on Milan, totally exceeded by the rhythm and the quality of his opponent.
Milan has history for him, but Atalanta is the team of the moment. She is the one who will play the Champions League knockout round in February at the San Siro stadium in Milan, and it is she who has a good chance of finding the C1 next season.
Gian Piero Gasperini's team goes back to 5th place, four points behind AS Rome, which currently occupies 4th position, the last to offer a ticket for greater Europe.
The Milanese are far from them. This defeat leaves them in 11th place, 10 points from Atalanta, 14 from Roma and 21 (!) From the leaders, Inter Milan and Juventus.
Sunday, they sank and played the whole second period under the mockery of the public of Bergamo, who sang "Serie B! Serie B!".
AC Milan is not there yet, but the evil is deep and will not be cured by the only Ibrahimovic, whose arrival in the winter transfer window remains mentioned by the Italian sports media.
"We have to work and improve. We entered the field with too little technical and tactical lucidity. It is a terribly insufficient performance," regretted Stefano Pioli, the coach of the rossoneri.
Zvonimir Boban, the former great midfielder who became club manager, for his part spoke of an "embarrassing" performance. "We will have to wake up and react. It will not be a good Christmas," added the Croatian.
In the other matches played on Sunday, Bologna (8th) went to beat Lecce (16th) 3-2, while Brescia (18th) took a point in Parma (7th) thanks to a goal by Balotelli (1-1). At 8:45 p.m., Sassuolo receives Naples.
© 2019 AFP