Career Double Trouble in Milan (OME)

[Ulysses]

Hi all, this is my first go at posting a career here, so bear with me!

In the late 90s I was a big fan of Italian Football, with legendary players like Maldini, Gattuso, Pirlo, Nesta, Cannavaro, Totti, Inzhagi, Del Pietro, Vieri, and more!

To try and recapture the joy of my younger days I'll be doing a Double Trouble with fallen giants AC Milan.

My chosen players are: the new Inzhagi, Patrick Cutrone; and the new Totti, Marco Tumminello.

Unfortunately I don't have the time to post a full write up, but here are some screenshots from season one.

Transfers:

I forgot to screenshot my transfers, but I didn't sign or sell many players. Luan came in to play at number 10, Petagna as a sub striker, and Tumminello, obviously. No major first team players left.

Key Results:

 

So we quite comfortably won the Coppa Italia, and surprisingly beat PSG in the Europa League final.

Going into the final week of the domestic season we were ahead of Juve on goal difference, with these two games left to play:

Unfortunately this happened. We beat Inter, but still lost the league by 3 points.

The Main Event:

So, how did our strike partnership fare?

Not a bad start for two teenagers in the notoriously defensive Serie A. But can we improve next season? And can we finally topple Juventus and reclaim Milan's rightful crown?

Thanks for reading!

Edited May 12, 2018 by Ulysses

[Titjes]

Good first season

Good luck

[Ulysses]

30 minutes ago, Titjes said:

Good first season

Good luck

Thanks!

[Rob]

Keep it up. Good going.

[Ricardo Neves]

Great season

[FuddledFox]

Nice start mate.

2 hours ago, Ulysses said:

In the late 90s I was a big fan of Italian Football

So you go back to these days then? One of my favourite theme tunes ever.

 

[Ulysses]

47 minutes ago, Foxy said:

Nice start mate.

So you go back to these days then? One of my favourite theme tunes ever.

 

Classic! I had a big thing for Lazio for a while because of that intro, until I eventually paid attention and realised that it wasn't "Goal Lazio" he was shouting at the end.

[FuddledFox]

1 hour ago, Ulysses said:

"Goal Lazio"

Same😂

[Taff]

38 minutes ago, Foxy said:

"Goal Lazio"

Was that not what he was saying "my whole life is a lie"

[Ulysses]

34 minutes ago, Taff said:

Was that not what he was saying "my whole life is a lie"

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Football_Italia

Apparently that's what they wanted us to think.

[Woody]

3 hours ago, Foxy said:

Nice start mate.

So you go back to these days then? One of my favourite theme tunes ever.

 

God i remember that show....channel four i think.

[Ulysses]

Season 2

In's and Out's

No screenshot - because my memory is awful. But main signings were Roberto Gagliardini for £32.5m, Bryan Cristante for £34.5, and the almost obligatory signing of Leon Goretzka on a free transfer.

Sold Bonaventura to Barca for £36.5m.

Key Results:

One out of two in the pre-season "finals". Juventus are proving of a bit of a pain in the neck.

How about Serie A? Could we get our revenge on Juve?

Yes we could! AC Milan back on top.

Got to the final of the Coppa Italia. Could we repeat our success in the cup last year and do the double?

No, as it turned out.

But we'll get some penalty practice soon:

Seriously?! 12-11 on penalties, crazy!

So, into the final of the Champions League. Can we win the whole thing?

Thankful we got an easy draw. Sorry Arsenal fans!

The Main Event:

How did our duo do?

Only a slight improvement but still only young. Can they continue to improve? Can we cement our place at the top of Serie A next season?

Thanks for reading! 

Edited May 12, 2018 by Ulysses

[Ulysses]

Season 3:

Ins and Outs

Biglia and Montolivio both retired and joined the coaching staff. Bertolacci and Suso both left for around £30m each.

The only major signing was Naby Keita on a free transfer, meaning we've made a healthy profit during my time at the club.

Results:

Not a bad start to our defence of the Champions League

But we didn't go so well in the cup.

A shock result in the Champions League quarter final

And a close fought win in the final to make it 2 in a row

We also won Serie A, but I forgot to screenshot it as it's essentially a stroll to the title year on year now!

The Main Event:

A decent improvement from our two strikers, who have just hit their twenties.

Cutrone has won 3 Best Player in Europe awards and 3 Best in Serie A awards too. Not a bad player!

[Ulysses]

Season 4:

Results:

Getting a knack for winning penalty shoot outs...

And not half bad in Serie A either - although the fact that our main rivals such as Juve, Napoli, Roma and Inter have barely improved their squads did help somewhat!

And finally, a big final that didn't go to penalties:

That's 3 Champions Leagues in a row now.

The Main Event:

350/1,200.

It's going to be tight I think. Carlo Ancelotti is doing well in the Italy job, so just got to hope he decides to retire soon!

Thanks for reading.

[Titjes]

Doing great so far, keep up the good work

 

[Ulysses]

Season 5

Results:

The team is at its peak now, with players like Conti, Ramognoli, Rodriguez, Gagliardini, Cristante and Luan all around 28.

Deli Alli was signed from Spurs for the bargain price of £133 million to eventually replace Luan in the Number 10 role.

Cutrone and Tumminello are 24/25, by the way.

This showed in our two league games against newly promoted Cesena:

Won the Club World Cup - although it's so easy it shouldn't really count as a trophy. Played the reserves in both games, expect up front.

Also won the Coppa Italia, which is a competition where we tend to play relatively badly. Only 3 wins in 5 seasons.

And the big one:

That's 4 in a row. Again, an easy draw with the better teams unexpectedly losing early. Can we make it 5 in a row and equal that Di Stefano and Puskas team?

The Main Event:

Believe it or not I forgot to screenshot the players! I really am not good at remembering to do it. I'll include them next season.

Cutrone got 62 goals, Tumminello got 48. Personal bests all around!

460/1,200. They are going to have to keep hoping their game, or else it's going to be a struggle!

 

[Ulysses]

Season 6

It was a sad day in Italy and across the football world when, as the start of the 2022/23 season Leonardo Bonnucci hung up his boots.

He had captained AC Milan to 4 consecutive Serie A titles and 4 Champions League wins, as well as winning 3 Coppa Italia's, 3 Club World Cups, and 1 Europa League. He also appeared in the Serie A team of the year in each of his last 5 seasons as a player.

To try and replace him Milan have promoted young prospect Matteo Gabbia from the reserves.

Results:

The Serie A trophy was lifted by new captain Donnarumma.

But unfortunately not the Coppa Italia, nor sadly, a 5th consecutive Champions League:

Penaranda, signed from Watford, earning his place in history.

The Main Event:

It shows how far Milan have come that winning Serie A and finishing runners up in the Champions League is considered poor form, but the stats don't lie.

554/1,200.

However, Patrick Cutrone did have reason to celebrate at the end of the season - as he beat Ronaldo and Messi's records for most Balon D'Or's:

Perhaps the dip in form was facilitated by a distracted manager, who, as well as leading his club, as led Poland to European Championship Qualification, before handing the job over to a younger, Polish manager.

Edited May 16, 2018 by Ulysses

[Ulysses]

Season 7:

Bit part players Hakan Calhanoglu and Andre Silva finally got fed up and were sold for £28.5m to Arsenal and £60m to PSG, respectively.

Which means that, during my time as manager so far, we've actually made a profit!

Results:

Still not a lot of luck in the cup:

And getting worse in the Champions League:

At least we lost to the eventual champions. Odegaard finally fulfilling his potential and leading Real back to the top.

We did, on route, thrash Craoiva, who contained this fallen giant:

Also won Serie A, again.

The Main Event:

Injuries, an aging team behind them, and an early exit from the Champions League meant this was their worst season!

Perhaps doing a scoring challenge on OME in the notoriously defensive Italy was a bit much?

615/1,200. Half way there at least.

Edited May 16, 2018 by Ulysses

[Ulysses]

Season 8:

After a poor showing in the knockout competitions last season, and our lowest points total in the league for 5 years, the coaching staff felt it was time to renovate the squad. Out when some of the heroes of the past few years: Ricardo Rodriguez, Luan, Bryan Cristante & Andrea Conti.

In came Lucas Tousart for £50m, having just led Lyon to a surprise French Cup win, Italy international Gianluca Mancini, for £100m from Barcelona, and wonder kid Alessio Albertini for £82m after grabbing 10 goals and 12  assists during his breakthrough season with Roma.

Results:

A good start against a much improved Inter team, who have just signed Timo Werner & Herving Lozano.

Not so great, once again, in the cup. But Bologna are a team on the up:

We won the league for the 7th time in a row, helped by the fact that Juve inexplicably fell apart:

And the biggest prize of all in club football?

Very close wins over Bayern and Benfica, followed by revenge against Madrid. That's 5 during my time, 11 in total. With Madrid's win last season that puts them on 13. Can we overtake them before the challenge finishes?

Key Events:

For the first time I have stuck with a career long enough to rename a stadium. I considered naming it after myself, but thought that was a bit much. So let me introduce you to the Stadio Paolo Maldini.

It did indeed turn out to be a fortress. 

And, even better, Ancelotti finally got sacked after Italy somehow failed to get out of a European Championship group containing Switzerland and the Czech Republic.

The Nation's League was up next:

England, in a final?! I guess the game can't be realistic all the time.

The Main Event:

Their best season yet! Helped by Albertini's 20 passing and 20 creativity (and 4 stamina!).

123 for Milan, and 13 for Italy.

751/1,200.