The former Ballon d'Or winner was adamant that AC Milan's recent problems were the fault of underperforming forwards
Former AC Milan striker Andriy Shevchenko has laid the blame for AC Milan’s struggles in the 2023/24 season at the feet of the Rossoneri’s faltering forwards, including Nigerian winger Samuel Chukweze.
AC Milan struggle in 2023/24 season
The Rossoneri suffered a disappointing season in Serie A and the UEFA Champions League during the just-concluded campaign, finishing 19 points behind city rivals Inter, who won the Scudetto, and failing to get past the group stages of Europe’s premier competition, falling down to the Europa League, leading to the exit of head coach Stefano Pioli.
Milan’s biggest struggle was the inconsistency of its attackers, with none of Milan’s frontmen crossing the 20-goal mark in all competitions.
None of Luka Jovic (9), Noah Okafor (6), or Samuel Chukwueze (3) managed to enter double digits for goals in all competitions, buttressing the lack of firepower that the Rossoneri suffered.
Shevchenko worries about Milan’s future in front of goal
With the top-scorer from last season, Olivier Giroud set to exit the club this summer, Shevchenko believes that it is vital for AC Milan to secure the services of a potent forward next season, and the Ballon d’Or winner told La Gazzetta dello Sport, “It seems logical to me after Giroud’s departure. Giroud, a true centre-forward, also did fabulous things at Milan. Replacing him won’t be easy. Without him, we will need another true striker, capable of guaranteeing 16-17 goals.”
Shevchenko then expressed his opinion that AC Milan’s current attacking options were not good enough, adding, “The team’s problem in recent times has been that of the forwards who score little.”
AC Milan are currently in the hunt for Dutch forward Joshua Zirkzee as Giroud’s replacement and will hope the Bologna man is able to continue his good form from the 2023/24 season.