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Can Andre Silva seek salvation in the Europa League?

Can Andre Silva seek salvation in the Europa League?

  • Kaustubh Pandey(@Kaus_Pandey17)
While the Europa League is not a familiar breeding ground for AC Milan, it has become a rather painfully usual sight for many. And everytime the men in red and black play a Europa League game, it only means one thing- an Andre Silva start.

With the club 3-0 up on aggregate against Bulgarian outfit Ludogorets Razgrad, it seems as if the summer signing from Porto is set to start once again in the Europa League. He has failed to settle in well enough, but what can’t be taken away from him is the fact that he has done well in front of goal in the European competition. He has found the back of the net six times in the Europa League, but has failed to score even once in the Serie A. Three out of those six goals have come from the hat-trick he scored against Austria Wien.

And while it won’t be a surprise to see Silva grab a couple of goals at the San Siro later today, it is frustrating for someone like him to fire only in the secondary competition. Not just for him, but for the fans and the team as well.

The fee that was shelled out for him was massive- 38 million euros. And while it’s clear that he has stunningly failed to live upto the hype and to the fee, it would be refreshing sight to many to see young Patrick Cutrone step up to the plate despite the presences of Nikola Kalinic and Silva in the side.

Its no harm in Silva using the Europa League as a platform to improve as a player and get more of a look into the side, which has not really had a consistent system this season. The Portuguese has suffered from the little consistency in system, but the fact that a big fee was shelled out on him makes him look like a bigger victim than he should.

He is just 22 and with Milan in need of a striker who can score 20 or 25 goals a season, Milan would love to give him all the time in the world to settle in and become a vital player soon enough. It can happen next season, but his showings in the Europa League this season will have a massive bearing on where his Milan career heads to.