Lorenzo Insigne’s performance for Napoli on Saturday night was just another cruel reminder of what former Italy boss Gian Piero Ventura — and nobody else — failed to realize: Right now he’s easily one of the best attacking players in Europe. Napoli won 2-1 and rumble on in first place while the Rossoneri remain in some sort of limbo.
For all of manager Vincenzo Montella’s attempts at saying and doing the right things, you can’t escape the gnawing suspicion that, as monumental a task as finishing in the top four this season might be — if Roma win their game in hand, Milan will be 12 points off the pace with just over a third of the season gone — winning their financial battles will define the club’s short-term future.
Milan need to present a credible “voluntary agreement” on Financial Fair Play that satisfies UEFA — a decision is expected next month — and they need to conjure up some $350 million by October 2018 to make Elliott Management go away.
How do they do that? Either with principal owner Li Yonghong coming up with the funds (though this story suggests it will be difficult), by finding new investors or by refinancing the debt.
Milan seem optimistic that they can do this via a London-based outfit named BGB Weston, but it’s worth noting these guys aren’t going to loan them the money: They’re simply going to help them look for someone to do it.
Until this mess gets resolved, there will be more than one shadow hanging over the club.
Click here to read Marcotti’s thoughts on Arsenal defeating Tottenham Hotspur, the Madrid derbi and more from what occurred in European football over the previous week.