Widely regarded as one of the major clubs in Europe, AC Milan fell to abysmal lows last season as the team stumbled to an eighth-place finish in the 2013-14 Serie A. It was a campaign that brought turmoil both on and off the field, as battles over ownership and control in the boardroom resulted in the team going through two managers over the course of the season.
The downward spiral seemed set to continue this season, as the team sold star striker Mario Balotelli to Liverpool for 17.6 million pounds, and financially did little to reinvest that money toward other world-class players. Instead, the club has relied on a variety of loan deals and free transfers in order to make up for Balotelli's departure, and the 10.8 million pounds the team spent in the summer transfer window not only paled in comparison to Serie A title contenders Juventus and Roma, but also fell behind middling teams such as Lazio, Udinese and Palermo.
Yet in the very early going, Milan has looked impressive, offering hints that a turnaround may be starting to take shape under new manager Filippo Inzaghi. And while the club is far from a contender at this point -- it simply cannot match the attacking depth that Juventus possesses -- replacing Balotelli with versatile attackers has given the club more balance and a better chance to improve upon what was an abysmal one-dimensional offense in 2013-14.
Here's a look at why AC Milan is better off without Balotelli this season, and the team's outlook for the 2014-15 campaign.
Offensive limitations: What didn't work with Balotelli
Since winning its last Serie A title in 2010-11, Milan has been a club in decline. This has been especially true on the attacking end; after leading the Serie A with 74 goals in the 2011-12 season, that number regressed to 67 goals in 2012-13 and then stunningly to 57 goals last season.