Pep Guardiola in talks with AC Milan as Massimiliano Allegri continues to struggle

Josep Guardiola (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

While those around world football could have predicted that Milan would struggle this season after losing their two best players, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Thiago Silva as well as a host of veterans, I don’t think anyone would have struggle this badly. They currently sit in 12th place and have conceded 10 goals while only scoring 9 times themselves. Berlusconi is a man who has always taken pride in Milan and as owner, he could see fit to move on from the Massimiliano Allegri era.

Allegri joined Milan in 2010 after a highly successful spell at Cagliari. In his first season, Milan won their first Serie A title since 2004, finally ending Inter’s stranglehold on the Italian top flight. The following season, Milan finished in second place behind the indomitable Juventus but Juventus just seemed to be the better team so a second place finish was not thought to be a large disappointment. However, this season has been tumultuous to say the least as Milan has struggled to cope with the loss of so many important players.
While Milan are not playing like it, they are a European soccer powerhouse, having assembled some of the best squads in history as well as seeing some of the best players in history don the famous red and black strip of Milan. After Pep Guardiola left FC Barcelona last season for what he cited as personal reasons, many thought that this would be a short term hiatus so the Spaniard could take a step back and eventually rededicate himself to the game he loves.
Via Tuttosport, the Rossoneri have been linked with Guardiola amidst their struggles in the league. Needless to say, Milan could certainly use a boost and it could come from a coaching change. Guardiola proved himself to be a fantastic manager, instituting a style called tiki-taka that focused on possession and short passing that took Barcelona to the next level. In his first season as coach of the Blaugrana he won the treble- the Copa del Rey, La Liga, and the Champions League. He then won the Spanish Supercup, the UEFA Super Cup, and the FIFA Club World Cup giving him an unheard of six trophies in one year.
Not only would swapping Guardiola for Allegri bring a welcome change in style, it would also likely appease the Rossoneri faithful. After selling Ibra and Silva, Milan offered refunds of season tickets and those unhappy with the club’s transfer policy took their offer. Guardiola is one of the most highly touted managers of his time and would revolutionize the way Milan plays which would likely include an influx of new talent. Berlusconi has shown that he will provide sufficient funding and as the Italian Prime Minister has been said to be a fan of Guardiola’s, money will likely be made available.
While I believe Allegri has done well as manager and that losing your two best players is a hard pill for any team and manager to swallow, Milan should be playing better than this. They still have top class players including Kevin-Prince Boateng, Antonio Nocerino, Riccardo Montolivo, and the oft-injured Alexandre Pato. Given that Serie A as a whole has been declining in recent years, this Milan squad albeit depleted as it is, should be able to contend with their Italian rivals. A change must be made; maybe it could come from the return of Pato from injury, but if Milan continues their poor form, expect a change to be made, possibly to an interim manager such as fan favorite Filippo Inzaghi before Pep Guardiola takes over the club in the summer, bringing tiki-taka to the San Siro.