MAGA: Make AC MILAN Great Again- My FM Challenge

[somedevil]

As I have done since 1999, this year also I started a new FM save with our beloved team. The goal of course is to win the CL with Milan and this is by far the best save I have ever played on FM. Lots of ups and downs and I thought I will share it with you fine folks. 

Season 15/16

As with every Milan save, the first idea is to get rid of the dead wood and that I did. Instead of taking chances on our okayish youth, I went ahead and bought my usual FM favorites who I know for sure will do well. The goal was to qualify for CL and as usual, our management barely gave me a budget. If I needed money, I had to win and finish somewhere at the top. That was my plan, along with developing the youth. 

And who else can save Milan, but the prophet of Fusignano - Arrigo Sacchi. 

This was My transfer market



Got rid of the deadwood and ended up making money too. I had to strengthen the backline so most of the players I bought were defensive. And of course, I prefer buying Italian players. 

The only drawback was De Sciglio. As in real life, he started demanding to leave and refused an extension. Barcelona came in, wanting to sign him on Bosman. Left with no choice, I offered him for 1m euros to make at least some money off his transfer. He left in the January window. As happy as he was to leave, he didn't really have a good time in Barca and would regret this move later. 

I also made Romagnoli the captain. Long story short, the season ended Okayish, coz for a moment we really challenged Juve. 

This is how the players did. 



And the final table




This was a very hard fought second place in a very difficult season. At least I rally got to happen my motivational skills. Surely the next season would be better right? Or maybe not. Maybe it would be something else. 

As some of you will notice, I am pretty far in the save now, so I have a lot of seasons to post. I will probably post one everyday. I hope some of you will find this fun! 

[ACMILAN1983]

Did you have another thread for this before? Is nice to see how you're getting on

[Ace]

You get me excited there!

I was actually thinking about buying FM2017 a couple of days ago.. then I decided to wait for FM2018

[somedevil]

Did you have another thread for this before? Is nice to see how you're getting on

I think I posted one for FM15. 

You get me excited there!

I was actually thinking about buying FM2017 a couple of days ago.. then I decided to wait for FM2018

FM17 is not so great from what I hear. Even I am waiting for FM18. In any case. FM16 is pretty darn good in terms of providing you a challenge.

[somedevil]

Season 16/17

Although I was disappointed with the 2nd place finish and no trophies last season, it did do a few good things. Firstly, since most of the average players performed well, there was interest in them from other clubs and secondly somehow, the management provided me a good transfer budget. I thought about a marquee attacking signing since Bacca was getting old but in the end, I decided to divide up the 90 odd million euros in strengthening across the pitch. I decided to put my faith in Bacca for now. 

As always most of my signings were Italians that are young and talented. I was most excited however about Lincoln, a very talented Brazilian who as you will see cost me a bomb. I also decided to leave him in Brazil for an extra year so that he develops fully. I had gambled a lot on him but would he pay back in the future? 

As fate would have it, Rugani was unhappy at being left on the bench and I decided to unsettle him some more via my comments in the press. Still, Juve charged a hefty price for him. Usually I don't like to spend big but I knew that Rugani would be a mainstay in the defense for ten years so I spent it anyways. 

I was happy to be able to make 40+ million euros on selling Menez, Honda and El Shaarawy. The latter had a clause in his loan deal to Monaco, and unlike real life, he did well for them in the game and they signed him up. didn't want to let him go but I had no choice. Anyways, this is how my transfer window go. 



Champions League 

Finally we are back in the CL and thrown right into a difficult group. I was disheartened by the draw especially since I do not have a good enough bench. A few injuries and I would've had a crisis at hand. I also devised a special tactic for away games coz I knew that I simply couldn't afford to win at the Bernabeu or even at Porto. Imagine my surprise when the group stage ended like this. 



UNBEATEN !! On to the next round and just like in real life, I meet the fuckin cules. this was a tie that left me no nails and had me wanting to smash things on to the wall. At least we won away at Camp Nou!



At least now we could simply focus on the league. Once the disappointment wore off this was probably a good thing to happen. there was no way that I had the bench good enough for the later stages of CL. Besides the goal set by the management was to qualify for the knockout rounds and so I did. Job safe. From this point the focus was all on lo scudetto and of course, that cup no one gives a shit about. Not even the management. 



Serie A 

We were not favorites at all. The fight was supposed to be between Juve, Roma and Inter. But I changed the formation, 25% into the season, got the motivational talks down to a science and in the end, on the last damn day of the championship.... well! 



On the LAST bloody day, it was very satisfying to pip Juve off the top and win the league. As the famous philosopher Socrates said "Juve Juve, vaffanculo". The management expressed their surprise at this win, so did the media and the players gave all the credit to Mister Sacchi's motivational talks. (I am playing this game as Sacchi).

This was one of the most hard fought seasons I have played in FM. The season was not over though coz there is that cup, no one ares about. The Coppa Italia. But I did. 

Coppa Italia 

Well well well. What do we have here? A big part of reaching the Coppa Italia final was coz of the easy draw we got. but in the final we meet Juve. An angry Juve who were hungry to take revenge for the Scudetto defeat. Which is why they scored an early goal. Going one goal down into the halftime, I let all walls crash down and simply shouted at the players. "I am not at all happy at what you are doing there", I said but "I have faith in you" I added. 

In the end....



DOMESTIC DOUBLE !!

Could it be that Milan are on their way back to glory days, wondered the media. I felt mentally exhausted after this season ended and did not touch the game for a week. It was an emotional rollercoaster, but denying Juve twice was well worth it. 

Bacca won the Capocannoniere with 31 goals, Bernardeschi won the Best Young player of the league and Arrigo Sacchi won the Coach of the year. 

This is how all the players did

[nefremo]

Seems like you've done well. I haven't played FM in years. I am always afraid that it will just consume my life for several weeks, sleepless nights, completely useless in life for the time being....

But all these rumors and everything going on with the club this summer is making me very tempted. I think I'll buy fm18 also amd waste a few weeks of my life. It'll totally be worth it.

[Sampinjon]

Yeap ,it's pretty adictive.
Last FM I seriously played was 2007. Recently I started 2015 with Red Star ,played few seasons ,and in that my save game ,Milan (managed by game itself) became champion of Italy in 2019. So they at least predicted some bright future On the other hand... champion in 2018 was Atalanta...

[somedevil]

Seems like you've done well. I haven't played FM in years. I am always afraid that it will just consume my life for several weeks, sleepless nights, completely useless in life for the time being....

But all these rumors and everything going on with the club this summer is making me very tempted. I think I'll buy fm18 also amd waste a few weeks of my life. It'll totally be worth it.

I agree. The game consumes you. I think about derby lineups as I am sleeping. Thankfully I travel a lot for work. Which means that while waiting at the airports, in the plane or in the hotel rooms, I have plenty of times to play FM. Much better than mindlessly watching TV.

[somedevil]

Season 17/18

Arigo Sacchi starts his third season with Milan after his much awaited return. The press wonder if the dreaded third season syndrome will hit and Milan will go back to being mediocre again. Everyone knows this squad isn't ready to compete in the CL. And to win lo Scudetto again, especially when Juventus, Inter have reinforced massively. No Señor, Milan don't have a chance they said. 

To make it worse, there are rumors of Berlusconi wanting to sell the club. Could the season start on a more unstable turf? Mister Sacchi is left with no choice but to go ask his old pal Silvio for more money. 

"Presidente, we will be left behind others if we don't spend." Silvio surprisingly agrees. One last time, he opens his wallet. In returns he wants the promise of a CL. Mister Sacchi is not sure. But he agrees to the terms. It is do or die time. Either Milan challenge for the CL or Arrigo goes back to Sky sports as an analyst. 

Sabatini is appointed Sporting Director and he rightly tells Arrigo that they cannot rely on wonderkid signings only if they have to win trophies. As much as Arrigo likes developing youth, he agrees and the cash is throw on the table. Although the first signing is Ljajic, who came from Inter on a free. 

Transfer window 

At home there were troubles too. Bertolacci wanted a hefty contract after one season. Too bad. Baselli behaved like a prima donna and was shipped out after only one season. Only those who want to play for the colors will remain, else they will be sold. even at a loss. 

The midfield is massively reinforced while fan favorite Bryan Cristante is brought back at a hefty price. A purely emotional decision. hopefully that won't turn out to be a bad one. Pastore was put on sale, so was Bruno Fernandes and after a quick consultation with Tassotti, they were signed. Leali was bought as a backup to Donnarumma. 

In the end, the tifosi finally get a transfer market that they deserved. 




The first big match is the SuperCoppa and Juve want revenge for losing out on the league and the Coppa Italia last season. Too bad. The mighty Milan are back and they don't share trophies! 



The CL group stage is fairly easy and for the second year running, Milan are unbeaten in the group stages. 



Things are going well enough in the league with Milan and Juve trading places at the top, week in, week out. There are injuries and problems of players running into bad form. Arigo realizes that tactical mastery won't win it all. Mental game, especially motivation is molto importante. He starts working on it. Talking to players one on one, praising good performances and fining bad behavior on the pitch. 

And then comes December and one fine morning, it is revealed by the media that Milan has been sold by Silvio Berlusconi. A day before Milan's founding date, Berlusconi leaves and new Chairman Giuseppe Biava steps in. 

"Arrigo, I will give you a lot of money to spend. whatever you reasonably want but I want trophies." He mentions. "Or you are fired." Arrigo wastes no time. De Scilgio is unhappy at Barca and Sacchi decides to forgive him and give him another chance. But he is told that he will never be captain. Goldaniga is bought from Palermo and what a servant he would turn out to be for the club. 

Arigo doesn't like spending but he knows that this is the season to make a mark. Trophies need to be won. Chances of which decline steeply when Milan are drawn against Juventus in the Coppa Italia Quarter Final and against Chelsea in the CL first knockout round. The bookies give the Rossoneri no chance. 

Juventus are angry. they haven't been humiliated by one team like this in over ten years. Buffon reminds his teammates of glory days, and gol di muntari. They dominate the first half, with Milan defending for most of it. In the end...



Milan win the Coppa Italia second year in a row! Italy is waking up to the fact that there is something special going on at Milanello. But at the training ground, everyone knows that the Italian Cup win doesn't matter. There are bigger things at play. 

De Scilgio comes back from Barca motivated to show his quality and Goldaniga turns out to be a mature, staunch defender who does't let much get past him. Undoubtedly Milan possess the best defense in the league and the best part is that most of them are still young and developing. 

Abate steps up, Rugani reaches a whole new level and Romagnoli played many matches through injury and together with this effort, they wrote their names in the history as Gli Invincibili V2. Salt was rubbed in Juventus' wounds as they never recovered from the Coppa Italia loss against Milan and went on a downward spiral. In the end...



GLI INVINCIBILI !! UNBEATEN SEASON !

Donnarumma was named the GK of the season, finally dethroning Buffon, who spent his time watching reruns of Gol di Muntari. The Serie A Team Of the Year was.... 



The Scudetto win is fine, said the board, but keep the celebrations to the minimum. The target was to reach the CL semi final or be fired. 

About to take the field at Stamford Bridge, Arrigo tells the team not to worry about anything, forget the pressure and just play your natural game. And the team delivers. But in the CL, every round is much more difficult than the previous one. Unless your UEFALona. 

The team hits the sixth gear right on time and in the end, on a fateful day in may, right before the match Arrigo gathers the team and asks them- "don't you want to take your revenge against Barcelona for last year?" Milan want blood. The story of that night in Athens in 94 retold to the players. In the end...



AC MILAN WIN THEIR MUCH AWAITED 8th CL Title. The media and the board call this a surprising achievement. No one can believe it except Arrigo Sacchi. He always believed. But don't rest on your laurels, says the board. this is just the beginning. 

"but first, a new contract please." Says Arrigo. 

Milan Team Of The Year 17/18