Words from Marco Parolo, former Lazio player, who will be the next opponent of Sérgio Conceição's team in Serie A.
Marco Parolo, former Lazio midfielder whose old club will be Milan’s next opponent in Serie A reacted this Friday to yet another disappointing setback for the Rossoneri, who suffered a 2-1 defeat in their rescheduled match against Bologna, a fixture originally meant to be played back in the ninth round of the season.
The result, while painful on its own, was merely the latest chapter in a turbulent and increasingly frustrating campaign for Milan.
The loss at the Stadio Renato Dall’Ara came just days after Milan had fallen away to Torino, a result that in itself followed a crushing blow in Europe. Sérgio Conceição’s side had seen their Champions League hopes evaporate after being eliminated by Feyenoord in the play-off round, leaving Milan not only out of Europe’s premier competition this season but now also at risk of missing out entirely next year. Once firmly in the conversation for a top-four finish, Milan’s recent slump has sent them spiraling down to eighth place in Serie A, leaving their Champions League aspirations hanging by a thread.
Speaking live on DAZN Italia, Parolo, who knows Serie A inside out and spent much of his career battling against Milan, was brutally honest in his assessment of the Rossoneri’s plight. According to Parolo, Milan’s top-four dream is no longer a realistic objective, with the team now trailing eight points behind fourth place and lacking any real sense of momentum. “There are very few chances left for Milan to reach fourth place. The percentage keeps dropping I would say right now it’s around 10%,” Parolo estimated.
The former Lazio man didn’t stop there. He questioned Milan’s identity and direction, pointing out that the club seems to be stuck in a cycle of tactical confusion and inconsistent performances. “Milan are behind, with several teams ahead of them, and they’re already eight points off the pace. They really need to sit down, ask themselves serious questions, and figure out what they want to be. Right now, I don’t know who to blame they’ve tried different ways of managing the squad, but none of them have worked.”
Parolo also highlighted Milan’s inability to maintain intensity and concentration over a full 90 minutes, a recurring issue this season. “The players switch off far too easily. You see some moments of brilliance, but they always seem to be followed by these inexplicable drop-offs. Compare that to Bologna, a team full of energy, belief, and hunger. They fight for every ball, they believe they can win even when they’re behind and that’s exactly what they showed again against Milan.”
The contrast between the two sides was striking. Bologna, a team with far fewer resources and no global stars, managed to overturn Milan’s lead and secure a deserved 2-1 victory. The defeat was another painful reminder for Milan fans that talent alone is not enough in a league as competitive as Serie A mentality, cohesion, and clarity of purpose matter just as much.
Milan’s fall to eighth place leaves them with 41 points, and the timing couldn’t be worse with a crucial fixture against Lazio looming on Sunday night. Lazio, currently sitting in fifth with 47 points, are direct competitors in the race for European football and will arrive at San Siro with their own ambitions of securing a Champions League place. For Milan, anything less than three points would further widen the gap between them and the top four, turning an already difficult situation into a near-impossible task.
The first team currently occupying a Champions League spot is Juventus, who sit in fourth with 49 points. With Juventus finding their rhythm and teams like Bologna, Lazio, and Atalanta all showing far more consistency than Milan, the Rossoneri are quickly running out of time to mount a meaningful comeback. Even Parolo, who faced Milan countless times during his playing career, admitted that the club’s current trajectory does not inspire confidence.
Beyond the tactical and technical struggles, Milan’s problems seem to run deeper. There are growing questions about the squad’s leadership, the lack of clear on-field authority figures, and whether the current mix of players is mentally equipped to handle the pressure that comes with representing a club of Milan’s stature. Key figures like Rafael Leão, João Félix, and even experienced names like Olivier Giroud have all shown flashes of brilliance, but none have been able to consistently drag the team forward when adversity strikes.
Parolo’s comparison with Bologna is particularly damning. While Bologna’s squad is built on a fraction of Milan’s budget, their spirit and unity have made them one of the most difficult teams to beat in Serie A this season. Milan, despite their rich history and expensive squad, have lacked that same sense of collective purpose and it’s costing them dearly.
As they prepare to face Lazio, Milan are not just fighting for points they are fighting to save their season, to protect their reputation, and to convince their own fans that this squad is still capable of representing the values and expectations of a club that has won seven European Cups. If they fail again on Sunday, the prospect of missing out on the Champions League for a second straight season could become all too real and the questions about the club’s leadership, recruitment, and future direction will only grow louder.
For now, the numbers tell a sobering story: eighth place, 41 points, eight points adrift of the top four, with time running out. Parolo’s 10% estimate may actually be optimistic if Milan’s current spiral continues. For a club of Milan’s stature, the road back to Europe’s elite is never supposed to be this long but unless something changes quickly, that road could stretch even further into the horizon.
