Pellegatti points to Inter duo in explanation of Milan’s failing ‘principle’ | OneFootball

Carlo Pellegatti believes that Inter’s exploits in the Champions League highlight some of the flaws in AC Milan’s ‘principled’ approach.

Milan have had and continue to have a rollercoaster relationship when it comes to dealing with agents, because the ownership have made it clear that they would rather stand firm than wilt under the pressure of having to pay a bit more.

In some cases this stance is very understandable, but in others it leads to missing out on players who go on to be very useful to the clubs that they sign for. Not paying more to renew Hakan Calhanoglu or sign Marcus Thuram spring to mind, especially after Inter reached another Champions League final.

Pellegatti published his weekly column for MilanNews and in one segment he spoke about how the aim to maintain a stance of principle has ended up costing more money since.

“I read that in the two Champions League matches played at San Siro, Inter earned around 22 million euros. The amount that Milan saved by not granting a fair salary increase to Calhanoglu, to Kessiè, with the commissions attached to the agents or to the representative of Marcus Thuram, who arrived at no cost, is more or less what they would have seen returned to the coffers, building a strong team, for the quarter-finals and semi-finals of the Champions League. Why? On principle, never commissions!

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“Tactics were used, not strategy. The difference is known to everyone. Tactics is a policy of small steps, which leads you to achieve small goals. Strategy is winning, it means adopting a long-term, wide-ranging plan.

“Perhaps it was Gerry Cardinale’s ambitious intention, but it failed. At least for now. In September 2023, the owner of RedBird in one of his very rare interviews with the Italian media, in fact categorically stated: ‘I want to change Italian football’.

“As for the Rossoneri, it would have been better not to change anything. His intentions have in fact miserably foundered, because Milan, with a strong squad, but badly led in all aspects, managerial and technical, is ninth in the standings, in the ‘desperate’ and sad hunt for the number eight position in the standings that would avoid the matches of early August.

“Exited badly from the Champions League, after losing against Dinamo Zagreb. With the certain objective of winning the Coppa Italia, the trophy that as Ancelotti once said, only interests those who win it.”