Here is a brief FM20 team guide of the AC Milan squad, their club structure, relationship any potential managers will have with the board, expectations and possible tactics any FM manager can use in Football Manager 2020.
Here is a brief FM20 team guide of the AC Milan squad, their club structure, relationship any potential managers will have with the board, expectations and possible tactics any FM manager can use.
About the club
AC Milan are a professional football club that ply their trade in the Serie A. They are a legendary club that spent only 2 seasons outside of top-flight football since their inception.
A.C. Milan's 18 FIFA and UEFA trophies is the fourth highest out of any club and the most out of any Italian club. Milan has won a joint-record three Intercontinental Cups and one FIFA Club World Cup, seven European Cup/Champions League titles (Italian record), the UEFA Super Cup a joint-record five times and the Cup Winners' Cup twice. With 18 league titles, Milan is also the joint-second most successful club in Serie A, behind Juventus. They have also won the Coppa Italia five times, and the Supercoppa Italiana seven times.
Milan's home games are played at San Siro. The stadium, which is shared with city rivals Internazionale, is the largest in Italian football. Inter are considered their biggest rivals, and matches between the two teams is one of the most followed derbies in football. Milan are also one of the wealthiest clubs in the world.
The Board's Expectations
AC Milan are without a league title since 2011 and finished 5th in the 2018-2019 season. However, they failed to make it to the Europa League because of a ban by UEFA for breaching their Financial Fairplay regulations. The board demands should you take over will be,
- Make the top 6 of the Serie A (Automatic Europa League spot)
- Make the SF of the Italian Cup/Coppa Italia.
There will not be any specific philosophies on which you’ll be judged on and the board will let you focus fully on the objectives however you see fit. Milan have already made a few signings and have spent around £90m in the transfer market. With FFP breathing down the neck again, you will not be given much of a budget to play with.
Milan have excellent training facilities and a very good youth system that will churn out the occasional potential star player. You can rely on this to make the club achieve these targets and circumvent the FFP.
Squad, Formation and Tactical Style
Milan have a set of players that suit a controlled possession style of play or a fluid counter-attack style of play. You can choose whichever you feel best works for you.
A 4-2-3-1 is the best-suited formation for Milan considering the strengths of their current squad of players. However, you can also play a 4-3-3 if the situation demands so.
A rough example of what your line-up would look like in a 4-2-3-1 formation is as follows,
- Gianluigi Donnarumma as a sweeper keeper.
- Alessio Romagnoli & Mateo Pablo Musacchio as your 2 centre backs with Romagnoli operating as a ball-playing defender.
- Andrea Conti & Theo Hernandez as the 2 full-backs. Increased crossing instructions to take advantage of the high crossing ability
- Lucas Biglia & Franck Kessie as the 2 central midfielders. Biglia playing the role of a holding midfielder, Kessie in a box to box role.
- Paqueta to be played as an attacking midfielder in a No10 role.
- Suso & Hakan Calhanoglu as the 2 attacking wide midfielders. Suso deployed as an inverted winger.
- Krzysztof Piatek as the forward in an advanced forward or Poacher role.
Key Players
1. Krzysztof Piatek
Piatek is a tall poacher from Poland who has a high goal to game ratio. He is a young international who could serve you for a good few years.
2. Alessio Romagnoli
Romagnoli is the club captain and a very accomplished ball-playing defender. The Italian international already has over 130 appearances for Milan and is considered a matured defender for his age.
3. Suso
Suso is a fine winger who is also very good at set-pieces. His performances from the right will be crucial for securing important results.
4. Franck Kessie
Kessie is an important cog in the Milan midfield. Although he is just 22, he is already an established international with Ivory Coast and also in Serie A. He also contributes important goals from central midfield.
Weaknesses
- The quality of backups in the squad may not be up to the quality and could prove fatal if your squad is affected by injuries.
- You run the risk of some talents being poached by other clubs especially in search of higher wages.
- This is a very young squad that lacks experience and this could affect the performance for any managers that are taking over.
Potential Transfers (in)
AC Milan are not the best squad in the league with respect to squad depth, these players could be welcome additions to the side.
- Nikola Milenkovic
- Luca Pellegrini
- Lorenzo Pellegrini
Potential Transfers (Out)
These players may be surplus to requirements at the club or may not be of the expected quality.
- Mattia Caldara
- Giacomo Bonaventura
Young Prospects
There are a few exciting young prospects in the ranks who have the potential to be some of the best players in the league. A few examples are,
- Daniel Maldini (CAM, AML, AMR)
- Gianluigi Donnarumma (GK)
- Davide Calabria (RB)
- Riccardo Forte (ST)
FM20 Team Guide - AC Milan
To Summarize, Milan were once one of the greatest teams in Europe and have now fallen to a mediocre level. Can you take over as manager and bring them to the heights they once were?
