Chapter 101: Ancelotti's Consideration of Retirement

This post from AC Milan's official media caused a great stir among Chinese fans.

It seems the national football team's training intensity is still insufficient; they even have the energy to chase after celebrities.

[No other members of the national team appeared in the footage, only Shao Jiayi and two others. They probably just happened to get the opportunity. Didn't the newspapers say they were using the same training base as Milan? Being in a good position gives them an advantage.]

I'm so envious of this opportunity! A jersey signed by everyone, and a group photo too.

[Aren't they welcoming talented young Chinese players for trials? Upstairs, hurry up and go for a trial! That way you'll have a chance! If you develop well, you can even contribute to the national team. We can't go to the South Africa World Cup, but we can aim for the Brazil World Cup! (witty emoji)]

[Upstairs...look at his profile picture, ten years ago he wouldn't even be considered a "junior player"...]

Sigh, just thinking about the World Cup makes me sad. Even if we make it to the finals in Brazil, all the players from the Korea-Japan World Cup have retired; there isn't a single experienced veteran left.

Sigh, I thought the Korea-Japan World Cup was the beginning of the Chinese national football team's rise, but it turned out to be its peak. It's probably hit rock bottom now, right? Hopefully, it will bounce back soon!

I'll go burn some incense again, praying for the Chinese national football team to bounce back!

...

On January 6, the day before the end of Milan's training camp, Milan and Hamburg played a match in the Dubai Challenge Cup.

Hamburg is a long-established powerhouse in the Bundesliga, with a glorious past. In recent years, they have also performed well, and can compete with Bayern Munich in the league.

Because it was just a friendly match, Milan didn't field many of their key players. The starting lineup consisted mainly of youth academy players, veterans who were gradually becoming marginalized, and substitutes. Players like Fino, Kaká, Pirlo, and Gattuso didn't get a starting opportunity.

The two sides drew 1-1 in regulation time, and then tied again in extra time, leading to a penalty shootout.

Milan ultimately prevailed in the penalty shootout, winning the Dubai Challenge Cup trophy.

This warm-up match was incredibly lucrative, with the organizers offering a €1.5 million prize and a €2 million appearance fee to the champion. During their training camp in Dubai, Milan not only didn't spend a single penny but also generated €3.5 million in revenue.

This doesn't even include the new sponsorship Galliani secured in Dubai.

AC Milan's ability to attract money is enough to make most clubs envious. These days, apart from the money-driven clubs favored by nouveau riche, how many clubs are having an easy time?

Juventus and Arsenal are so envious of Alonso, yet they can't even come up with 18 million euros. Manchester United's revenue is so impressive, but with a bloodsucker owner, Ferguson isn't having an easy time either, watching his brand-new Ballon d'Or winner fly straight to Madrid.

In an interview, Bayern Munich's general manager, Uli Hoeneß, expressed his disdain for AC Milan's money-grabbing behavior: "AC Milan treats Dubai like Hollywood, showing off their stars under the spotlight every day, while we Bayern are here in Dubai for winter training. We don't have time to waste worrying about whether a luxury hotel suite will satisfy Beckham's celebrity wife."

Yes, Bayern Munich also came to Dubai for training during the winter break, but did not attend any commercial activities. It's unclear whether they didn't want to or were not invited.

In response to Hoeness's remarks, Galliani simply smiled and said calmly, "We have a very good relationship with Bayern, especially with Mr. Rummenigge, so I will not respond to Hoeness's words."

Rummenigge and Hoeness were locked in a fierce battle at Bayern Munich. Hoeness jumped out to provoke him, and Galliani immediately brought up his arch-rival, Rummenigge.

We at Milan only recognize Rummenigge. Who does Hoeneß think he is? Is he even qualified?

When masters clash, they can kill without leaving a trace.

According to tabloid reports, Hoeneß was so angry that he almost had a heart attack.

But Galliani was not happy at this time either. On the night of the Dubai Challenge Cup, Italy was hit by a heavy snowfall that was the heaviest in many years, which almost paralyzed the entire northern region. Many highways were closed, airport takeoffs and landings were delayed, and getting around in Milan was also a problem.

According to Ancelotti's plan, AC Milan will return to Milan from Dubai on the afternoon of January 7, rest on January 8, and resume training on January 9 in preparation for the away game against Roma on January 11.

However, due to this unexpected heavy snow, AC Milan was stranded in Dubai.

Left with no other option, Galliani made the decision that the team would stay in Dubai for two more days, fly directly from Dubai to Rome on January 9, check into a sports hotel in Rome, train on the hotel's facilities, and then charter a plane back to Milan after playing against Rome.

This directly disrupted Ancelotti's plans and resulted in Milan's players not being in top form when the 18th round of the league match against Roma started.

After the winter break ended, Ancelotti reviewed the squad list and couldn't help but sigh.

Borriello's injury is not optimistic. Not only will he not be able to return in mid-January as expected, but he will most likely miss the entire 2008/09 season.

Fortunately, Borriello is just a rotation player, and Milan's attacking injuries are not serious, so they are not short of players for the time being.

In midfield, Kaká, Gattuso, Flamini, Seedorf, and Ambrosini have been suffering from minor injuries, but after a short period of rest, they are able to play.

The injury problems in the defense are a bit of a headache.

Kaladze's recovery after surgery went smoothly, and he is now able to train with the team. He should be able to play soon.

Bonera's problem is quite serious. What was initially thought to be a minor groin injury has not healed properly. After a detailed examination, it was discovered to be an inguinal hernia. He underwent surgery in December, and the recovery time is currently undetermined.

This made Ancelotti extremely dissatisfied with Milan's chief team doctor, Marana. The recurring injuries of many players, including Ronaldo, Inzaghi, Borriello, and Bonera, were inextricably linked to his misdiagnosis.

The frequent misdiagnosis by teammates made it hard for other players not to feel uneasy and fearful of injuries. Kaká and Pato both publicly complained about Milan's veterinarians.

Players like Fino and Pirlo have partnered with medical centers in the community, undergoing regular comprehensive medical checkups and immediately going to the hospital for any discomfort, demonstrating a refusal to blindly trust the Milan team's medical staff.

With Kaladze and Bonera temporarily unavailable, Nesta and Maldini are the only two left in the center-back position.

Antonini, who has had a few appearances, has proven unreliable and has lost Ancelotti's trust.

Given the current state of their defense, Milan signed a Brazilian defender named Thiago Silva during the winter transfer window. Unfortunately, due to Italy's foreign player policy, Silva will be unable to play for Milan this season.

Under Italy's foreign player policy, each club can only register two non-EU players per season. Milan's two slots this season were given to Shevchenko and Bildes, leaving no room for Silva. Silva will have to wait until next season to play for Milan.

This made Ancelotti regret his decision. Viudez, this small lottery ticket, didn't perform well and could hardly contribute to Milan. Galliani shouldn't have signed him; he should have left the spot for Silva!

Now, all they can do is continue to rely on Maldini and sponge off him.

At 8:30 pm on January 11, the final match of the 18th round of Serie A kicked off, with AC Milan playing away against Roma.

In this match, Ancelotti continued to use the Christmas tree formation, with Abbiati guarding the goal and Zambrotta, Nesta, Maldini, and Jankulovski forming the back line.

Due to Ambrosini's poor form in recent days, Beckham was given a starting opportunity as the right winger, while Gattuso was moved from the right to the left, partnering with Pirlo in midfield.

Kaká and Seedorf played as attacking midfielders, while Fino positioned himself as the lone striker.

Before the match kicked off, a minor incident occurred between the two teams' coaches.

Roma's head coach, Spalletti, approached Ancelotti, who gave him a warm hug. Spalletti then gestured to the Roma bench, indicating that Ancelotti should take his place, but Ancelotti politely declined with a smile.

This little incident corresponds to a joke Ancelotti made during a recent interview, when the reporter asked him which team he hoped would win the Champions League if Milan didn't win it this season.

Ancelotti joked at the time: "I still firmly believe that the team that lifts the Champions League trophy is Milan. If it's not Milan, then let Roma take it. Spalletti will be fired once he wins the Champions League, and I will take his place."

The idea of ​​him going to Roma to replace Spalletti is obviously a joke, but Ancelotti is indeed tired of being the AC Milan manager and wants to leave.

This was his eighth season as AC Milan's head coach, during which he led the team to two European Cup trophies, one Serie A trophy, two UEFA Super Cup trophies, one Coppa Italia trophy, one Italian Super Cup trophy, and one FIFA Club World Cup trophy. His achievements are truly remarkable.

However, being caught between Galliani and the Knights Table was not a pleasant experience. He also had to accept Berlusconi's constant interference in team formations, who would force players he didn't need onto him, and he had to schedule their playing time.

There's also Galliani's outrageous commercial development plans, the endless friendly matches, and the veterinary team that's either misdiagnosing or on its way to misdiagnosing...

Even though he had the personality of a capybara, he was getting bored.

Moreover, Maldini's retirement at the end of this season is almost a certainty, at which point Galliani's influence in the team will be stronger than ever before. This is the best opportunity to dismantle Milan's coaching staff, and Galliani is very likely to clean up the locker room.

As long as Milan's tactics remain unchanged, Pirlo will be the absolute core player, and Gattuso, whose position is deeply tied to Pirlo's, will also be safe. However, it's hard to say about Ambrosini. This future captain of Milan has a high probability of being let go by Galliani.

It is said that Galliani is about to initiate a plan to renew the contracts of veteran players with reduced salaries. Inzaghi, Seedorf, Pirlo, Gattuso, Ambrosini, Nesta, Kaladze and other players who have made great contributions to Milan are all included in this plan.

The summer break is bound to be a bloodbath, and Milan is highly likely to have to rebuild again.

Faced with a glaringly obvious mess, Ancelotti naturally considered retiring. He was now a championship-winning coach and had no shortage of jobs. He was even willing to join a top team like Real Madrid or Manchester United.

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Author's Note: This story doesn't involve the Chinese national football team; it only mentions them briefly at appropriate points. However, I sincerely wish the Chinese national football team a strong comeback. [droopy-eared rabbit head emoji]

Thank you everyone for your support! [cat emoji]