Gullit ‘speaks as a fan’ and believes Milan can win the Scudetto

After beating Inter, the feeling around AC Milan has become much more positive, and with a 3-0 victory against Lecce to follow up, the Rossoneri’s credibility is growing. However, they must focus on the task at hand rather than listening to outside noise.

If you were to ask Milan fans if they could win the Scudetto after the Liverpool game, most would laugh in your face. However, after two fantastic performances in Serie A, some people may be opening up to the idea.

As it stands, the Rossoneri sit third in the league only two points behind Antonio Conte’s Napoli, and with Fonseca’s football being displayed more, there is hope that the upward trend can continue.

In an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport, Ruud Gullit sat and spoke about several topics, such as the failed Joshua Zirkzee move – where he believes the striker made a mistake – and the possibility of Milan winning the Scudetto after their start.

Gullit, how is Serie A seen from abroad?

“It’s an interesting championship that is regaining its appeal. In the past few years, it went through a difficult time and the champions, who all wanted to come to Italy in my time, started to prefer England and Spain. Now this trend is changing: your tournament fascinates the top players again.”

At AC Milan, just to corroborate his theory, Alvaro Morata, captain of European champion Spain, has arrived…

“Morata is a great signing, a striker who knows how to score goals, but whom his teammates must put in a position to hurt. He always gives his contribution because he varies throughout the offensive front and opens spaces. Someone like that is always useful and can solve many problems.”

And to think that in Morata’s place could have been Zirkzee, who has long been the Rossoneri’s first choice…

“Zirkzee would have done better to say yes to Milan instead of moving to Manchester United in England. He knew Serie A and another couple of seasons in this league would have been very useful for his maturation but at a top club like Milan. Now instead he is at a club that has so many problems and that does not facilitate his growth.

“I hope he manages to reverse the trend after an inevitable period of acclimatisation. He’s good, no doubt about that, but at United, it’s hard to do well at such a moment in history.”

Another compatriot of his, Tijjani Reijnders, chose AC Milan in 2023 and did not regret it…

“I had seen him a few years ago in Az Alkmaar’s second team and, although you could see his quality, I wasn’t sure he would become the player he is now.”

Last season in the Rossoneri he had an incredible growth, in terms of personality and performance, and then he had a great European Championship with Holland. He is a key element for Milan and for the national team. Speaking of Milan, did you also cheer for the derby victory?

“Of course. The Rossoneri colours have remained in my heart. The success against Inter was well deserved because in the second half, Fonseca’s team came out with character and imposed its game.”

Do you like the Portuguese ex-Roma and Lille coach?

“His football is… ambitious: you achieve certain results more easily with the game and he is focusing on that. It takes a little time to transmit his ideas to the team, but the path seems to me to be the right one, as the three championship successes in a row testify.”

Can Milan win the Scudetto?

“I speak as a fan and I say yes. Having said that, I think it’s not right to put pressure on this group that in the last two summers has changed almost two-thirds of the squad, in addition to the coach who has a different way of playing compared to his predecessor.”

Even the start was not encouraging…

“Two draws and a defeat in the first three days certainly did not represent Milan’s value. The last three successes in Serie A have put things back on track, even if the team is still growing: it must work day after day because the margins of improvement are considerable, especially in the defensive phase.”

From a tricolour point of view, which is the most fearsome opponent for the Diavolo?

“I make a premise: it is good that the hegemony that Juventus had until a few years ago has been interrupted. The Bianconeri fans certainly preferred what happened until 2019-20 (nine Scudetti in a row, ed.), but as an external spectator and football fan I have no doubt in saying that now Serie A is more balanced and interesting.”

It is no coincidence that in the last four seasons, the tricolour has gone to three different teams [twice to Inter, once to AC Milan and to Napoli]…

“The Nerazzurri lost the derby, but they are the champions of Italy and won the last Scudetto with an important margin over the competition. It seems to me that Inzaghi has a squad that has been further strengthened by the summer purchase campaign and that he continues to make his team play good football.

“Watch out, however, for Napoli and Juventus. With Conte, the Azzurri have rediscovered the winning mentality that allowed them to win the championship with Spalletti, and in addition, they will not expend physical and nervous energy in the European cups: in the long run this can be a nice advantage. Motta has brought a breath of enthusiasm to Turin and the club has given him a hand with an important summer purchase campaign.”

Among the new Bianconeri arrivals is his compatriot Koopmeiners, paid almost 60 million at Atalanta. A big blow…

“For him, it is undoubtedly an important step forward that he deserved for the performance he had in these seasons at Atalanta. He is a ‘total’ midfielder, one of those who can do everything. I read that he had offers from abroad, but he did well to stay in Italy and choose a club where he can further grow and improve. I only have one regret: if he hadn’t been injured and Holland had him at the European Championships, they probably would have reached the final and maybe…”

Let’s move on to the Champions League where things are going worse for Milan…

“The new Champions League has a different formula compared to the past and, with eight games in the first phase, it gives the possibility of a comeback. Milan’s calendar was objectively complicated because facing Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund, for a team that has not even been together for three months, is not the best.”

Right now it is Juventus, Inter and Atalanta who are holding the Italian flag high…

“I hope your teams all go through or at least make it to the playoffs. In the last two years, Inter, Atalanta, Roma and Fiorentina have reached the finals of the three European competitions. This is an important signal, certainly not to be overlooked: your teams are working well and this season too, perhaps they will take some satisfaction.”

Let’s close with Ibrahimovic: do you like him as a manager?

“Very much. I have known him for many years, since he was young and played in Holland. Ibra was a different footballer from the others and now he is a person…. different from the others. He is unconventional in the way he communicates, but certainly his attitudes help take pressure off the team. He never does anything casual and his press conferences are not boring.”

So in your opinion Ibra should stay…? Ibra even as a manager?

“Without a doubt. The football world needs him as he is. In fact, we need more Ibrahimovic… Above all because he is competent and the talent is recognisable at first sight: few in the history of football have had as much as him. I am convinced he will do a good job at AC Milan: as a player, he always wanted to win and now I don’t think he has changed his mentality. On the contrary…”