Braida: ‘Milan have a mid-table squad’

Former Milan director Ariedo Braida is thoroughly unimpressed with the current squad. ‘It’s a mid-table team, there are players not up to the standards of this club.’

The 77-year-old was director general and director of sport during the greatest years of Milan’s history from Silvio Berlusconi’s take-over in 1986 through to December 2013.

He also had spells working at Barcelona, Sampdoria and most recently Cremonese, but is far from won over by the current crop in the red and black jersey.

“If you work for Milan, you must know its history and its level. There are currently players who are not up to the standards of the club,” Braida told Radio Sportiva.

“There are highs and lows at Milan at the moment. It is not a great team, and I admit that with great honesty. It is a mid-table team, which did not even get through the Champions League group phase. It is simply not at a high level right now.

“I am deeply in love with the Rossoneri and would relish seeing them competitive, going around Europe and challenging for the Scudetto. Instead it is just a good team that is missing something.

“There are critical issues to be addressed in midfield, in attack, more or less everywhere.”

Stefano Pioli had won the Scudetto in the 2021-22 campaign, then reached the Champions League semi-final the next season.

However, they have struggled this term, finishing third behind Borussia Dortmund and PSG in the Champions League group and dropping down into the Europa League.

They were also eliminated from the Coppa Italia by Atalanta in the quarter-finals.

Milan are third in Serie A, seven points adrift of Juventus and already nine behind leaders Inter – who have a game in hand.