Football
Ben Gladwell, Italy correspondent 7y

Vincenzo Montella must change AC Milan tactics - Silvio Berlusconi

Former AC Milan president Silvio Berlusconi has urged coach Vincenzo Montella to change his tactics if he wants to lead the club into Europe next season.

Berlusconi relinquished control of the Serie A club after 31 years last month, but he admits he is "no less of a fan now" than he always was. Even though he no longer has a say in how the Rossoneri are run, he did not miss an opportunity to air his views on their 4-1 defeat to Roma at the weekend and offer some advice to Montella.

"Let's just hope that he changes his formation," he told RAI Radio. "I don't mean changing the players, but the tactics."

Berlusconi had hoped to still have some influence over Montella's decisions when he was offered the role of honorary president by the club's new owners Rossoneri Sport Investment Lux, but once he discovered he would not be given a direct line of communication with the coach, he turned down the opportunity.

However, he said he does not regret selling the club to Chinese investors, repeating once again that it was a necessary move.

"You know, since money from oil tycoons started flowing into football, any club who wanted to be at the level of Milan needs resources that one single family cannot provide," he said. "And that is why I was painfully forced to sell the club."

Milan won 29 trophies in 31 years under Berlusconi, although the past three seasons have been their most prolonged period without European football in that time.

They appear set to return to Europe next season, though, in sixth place with a three-point advantage over Inter Milan and Fiorentina in the race for a berth in the Europa League qualifying rounds with three games of the Serie A season remaining.

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