The Finest Moments, Goals, Assists, and Signings from Milan’s 2023
As we approach 2024, there are many things for AC Milan to reflect on as another year draws to a close. Who scored the best goal of the season, who made the most progress, and who was the best player of the year? We explore all of this and more in this article.
Milan may not have had the best of seasons, barely making the playoffs the previous year and dealing with numerous injuries early in the current one. To lighten the tone a little, there are a few points that we can emphasize.
Ultimately, the Rossoneri did have some successful games, scoring some amazing goals and seeing a number of players advance during the season. Naturally, each category listed below is very subjective, but we’ll do our best to explain ourselves.
Top player: Mike Maignan
Without a doubt, this is a very tough category to choose from. Our choice, based only on this season, would be Fikayo Tomori. Since the summer, the Englishman has been outstanding and has truly returned to his “Scudetto form.” The previous season wasn’t as successful, though.
So perhaps Rafael Leao would be a better choice? For him, the situation is much the same, with far too much inconsistency all year long. Mike Maignan is the one player that we believe has consistently stepped up, except for a few mistakes, which is only natural.
Despite missing three games at the beginning of the season due to injury, he has been crucial for the Rossoneri when healthy. Though we still remember the Salernitana howler, we should assess his performance by taking a wider view.
It seems like he has made at least one outstanding save every game, especially this season, and he also picked up an assist on a fantastic long ball (which we will talk about in more detail below).
Best goal: Pulisic against Frosinone
If the previous category was tough to pick, this is even worse. The quality of goals will always be subjective. Some prefer solo runs/efforts, others prefer a well-worked team goal. Theo Hernandez’s solo goal against Lazio comes to mind, as does Rafael Leao’s solo goal against Napoli in the league.
A recent example would be Noah Okafor’s goal against Monza, with Tijjani Reijnders’ perfect dink to Olivier Giroud and the one-touch set-up from the Frenchman. You could even argue that Christian Pulisic’s winner against Genoa was of the highest quality.
Our pick for this category, however, is Pulisic’s goal against Frosinone on December 2. It’s a recent goal, in other words, but Mike Maignan’s long ball to set up the American was fantastic. The first touch was even better, and the winger’s awareness to dink it over the goalkeeper after losing some angle must be highlighted.
Again, there are so many goals that could be given this award, so do let us know in the comments which your favourite from 2023 was.
Best assist: Leao against Napoli
Even though Rafael Leao had a lot of excellent assists throughout the year, especially, this category was not too difficult. If we also take into account the significance of that match, though, the Champions League matchup against Napoli is actually unbeatable.
Leao’s solo run demonstrated all of his best qualities, and despite the Napoli defenders’ knowledge of what was coming, they were unable to stop him. The winger alone has the power to make it happen, but Milan supporters will be hoping to see more of that in the future.
Of course, Mike Maignan’s assist for Christian Pulisic and Olivier Giroud’s assist for Noah Okafor are also noteworthy. Which one was your favorite? Tell us in the comments section below!
Best moment: Giroud in goal against Genoa
There are plenty of memorable moments to choose from, like eliminating Napoli from the Champions League and defeating them 4-0 on the road. First team debuts for Francesco Camarda, Jan-Carlo Simic scoring on his debut, and so forth.
But Olivier Giroud’s ** save in the goal against Genoa after Mike Maignan was sent off is the pretty obvious choice. That is about as dramatic as it gets, and the Frenchman received deserved praise from all football fans and media outlets.
It takes guts to take on a challenge like that, and Giroud has demonstrated his genuine desire to see the Rossoneri win. Given that the punch was “scuffed,” he did have some luck, but he most definitely earned it for his bravery.
Malick Thiaw is the most improved player.
Similar to the finest moment, choosing in this category is not too difficult. Malick Thiaw transformed from essentially not playing to an important member of Milan’s defense. When given the chance, the German jumped up both in a four-man and a three-man backline.
He was a regular starter for a while, and the games against Tottenham were among his first, and he did not disappoint. After that, he only got better, and even though he still has room for improvement in a few areas, he is the clear winner in this category.
Rade Krunic, who played a significant role at the beginning of this season and near the conclusion of the previous one, might have some supporters. But it’s impossible to overlook his recent downturn, and Thiaw has improved significantly anyhow.
Best Signing: Christian Pulisic
Following a very disappointing season with Chelsea, Pulisic was one of 13 players who arrived in the summer with low expectations. With seven goals and four assists under his belt, the American has emerged as the greatest addition thus far.
When everyone expected Samuel Chukwueze to challenge the former Borussia Dortmund player, he truly cemented himself as the right-winger. Given his estimated €20 million price tag, the management deserves recognition for this acquisition as he has proven invaluable on multiple occasions.
Another strong candidate is Tijjani Reijnders, who has recently come into his own and whose price was also quite affordable for a Dutchman. These are the two leaders for the time being, but it remains to be seen what will happen throughout the remainder of the season.
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