AC Milan Serie A Champions: Fluke or Future?

AC Milan have been secured as Serie A Champions going into the last week.  They lead Inter, the defending champions, by 8 points.  Throughout the season, they only lost four games.  They defeated Inter both times they faced them this season, and did the same to 3rd place Napoli.  This AC Milan title ends a 5 year streak for their rivals, Inter Milan.  So, is this something Italian football fans should be expecting more of in the future, or is this only a fluke in the Inter Milan rule over Italy?



AC Milan have been named Champions:
But will it happen more in future years?

 AC Milan ended the season with an amazing +41 goal difference.  The only team to average more then +1 goal difference a game.  Even though none of their players scored many goals in the league, they had three players (Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Alexandre Pato, and Robinho) score 14 goals a piece.  They won the most amount of games by any team, and lost the least amount.  It's not uncommon for AC Milan to win the league, in fact, with the 2010-11 season, AC Milan has won the same amount of titles as Inter Milan, and been given two more runner up titles then they have as well.  So, technically, AC Milan are second in "Serie A performance" (Juventus have won 27 titles, compared to AC Milan's 18).  Also, many people claim that AC Milan are "the most successful club in the world".  AC Milan no doubt had an outstanding season, and were by far the best team in Serie A.

But, is this success something everyone should get comfortable with?  Or next year will it return to the rule of Inter?

This year wasn't one with many goals in Serie A.  I said before that AC Milan averaged more then a +1 goal difference per game.  However, Inter Milan have scored one more goal then them going into the last week.  Also, prior to this season, Massimiliano Allegri, was appointed manager of AC Milan.  Allegri hasn't gained serious reputation from his management career.  The best finish prior to AC Milan was with Cagliari finishing 12th.  Two years ago, Carlo Ancelloti left AC Milan for english club Chelsea.  Brazilian Leonardo was brought in, and after a 3rd place finish, he left, leaving room for Allegri.  This managerial change is completely bizarre.  Bringing in a manager from 12th place Cagliari, with little managerial experience?

Zlatan Ibrahimovic will return to
Barcelona in the summer unless Milan
buy him from the Spaniards for $24 million

This summer, AC Milan came out spending.  11 players in during the summer, including three players coming in on loans.  The two final signings of the summer: Zlatan Ibrahimovic on loan from Barcelona, and Robinho from Manchester City.  These two signings, along with Pato, were the top scorers for Milan.  Ibrahimovic scored 21 goals in all competitions, the top scorer for AC Milan this season.  It's definetly a blow for any team to lose their top scorer, because Ibrahimovic will be returning to Barcelona in the summer.  However, if AC Milan pay the $24 million option that Barcelona offered them, he will stay with the club.  Unless they pay this fee, expect someone else to step up at the club to score as many goals as he did this year.

5 signings in the January window, including Dutch midfielder Mark van Bommel.  After watching this transfer made, one must wonder, "Bommel's getting pretty old, how old is he exactly?"  So one Google's Mark van Bommel to find out he's 34 years old.  Then one begins to think, "Wait, aren't a lot of the AC Milan players really old?"  Once again, you hit up the Google.  You find out many, in fact most of AC Milan's squad are above the age of 30.  How long can Ambrosini, Seedorf, and Bommel run around out there at full strength against 25 year old's?  Alexandre Pato has a bright future for the club.  He's only 21 years old, and he's already a key factor in the offense of AC Milan.  Maybe that's why they bought so many young players last summer, and don't forget that they have a countless number of players out on loan, most likely all who are relatively young.  But, it's going to be a close call on whether or not these young players will be ready to play at the normal AC Milan level after the older generation leaves.

What I'm looking forward to seeing is the dynamic Brazilian duo.  Robinho is a very talented player, and now that he's joined Pato at the front, everyone will see some very crafty football from those two.  Honestly, I really hope that Ibrahimovic does not return so those two players will get more time to play together.  After a year or so, they will start thinking alike, and they will be unstoppable up front.

Pato and Robinho; the Brazilian Duo

So, is AC Milan's Serie A Title a fluke, or is it the future?  What do you think?