Former Serie A and West Ham star Paolo Di Canio has heavily criticized AC Milan’s players for their lack of character, arguing that many are not suited to wear such a prestigious shirt after the team’s recent meltdown.
Milan suffered their second consecutive Serie A defeat on Sunday against Atalanta, allowing Juventus to leapfrog them into third place and, more alarmingly, allowing Roma to draw level in fourth. The Rossoneri still control their own destiny—two wins in their final two matches would secure Champions League qualification due to a superior head-to-head record against Roma. However, Milan have managed just one victory in their last seven league outings, losing three of the last five. On Sunday, they fell 3-0 down at home before scoring twice in the dying minutes.
MILAN, ITALY – MAY 10: Strahinja Pavlovic of AC Milan scores his team’s first goal during the Serie A match between AC Milan and Atalanta BC at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on May 10, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
“Zero identity, zero personality, zero enthusiasm. It was painfully obvious, despite the effort,” Di Canio, a former Milan, Juventus and Lazio striker, told Sky Sport Italia. “They lack personality, courage, and extra willingness to take responsibility and give something of themselves. There was none of that at all today. That’s the aggravating factor. I’m not fooled by the final minutes. Until they scored, it was absolutely devastating, and some players in these conditions showed they do not have the stature to play in the Champions League.”
Di Canio continued: “The substitutes did well, but even there it’s a matter of personality. Maybe they came on knowing they had nothing to lose. The others were being booed, so they came on and ran. It’s easier that way. The five substitutes came on well, but if they had played like that all season, Milan would have solved their problems. In situations like these, you can see more clearly that many players do not have the stature suited to wearing such a heavy shirt in front of 70,000 fans at San Siro.”
Milan legend Alessandro Costacurta, a five-time Champions League winner with the Rossoneri, added: “It’s not the first half alone. It comes from the games against Udinese, Juventus and Sassuolo. It’s four games out of six played like this. I think they even had commitment, but they’ve lost mental clarity and ended up exhausted at the crucial part of the season.”