After insulting the legendary Paolo Maldini during his
farewell match, Milan’s Curva Sud lost a lot of respect from people all over
the world. Not that the people who make up the Curva Sud have ever been
considered bastions of society. They are mostly ordinary people, with the
distinction of being passionate and devoted fans of AC Milan. Human beings with
a superhuman commitment to the club. And human beings make mistakes. But at
what point are their mistakes hurting the club they claim allegiance to, rather
than helping it? Are they so passionate that they’ve lost sight of their very
fandom? Maybe they need to take a step back and figure out when showing up is
more important than shutting up.
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| Your silence was mindboggling, but your absence will be criminal |
For me, the Curva have always been this magical band of
misfits, a bunch of extraordinary yet ordinary people coming together to
worship our beloved team and creating mystical and legendary coreografia that is sometimes better
than the performances we see on the pitch. While some may think they are more
organized crime and less magical fans, they certainly are organized. They have
meetings and plan their magnificent coreo
and have opportunities to meet with players and club officials if they want to
weigh in on something. They are at every match, rain or snow or whatever,
singing and chanting and waving flags and banners for our beloved club,
something most of us only dream of doing. It would be harder to find a group of
fans more devoted to Milan.
Yet sometimes passion and devotion go too far. Not only in
the case of the Maldini farewell, where a petty axe to grind of theirs took
precedence over the monumental moment, and they came out of it looking like
horrible people. But at other times, too. At the beginning of the season, they
were made an example of by the Lega Serie A for breaking the newly punishable “territorial
discrimination” rule, and given a partial stadium ban. I thought that the way
they showed up and protested their punishment was admirable. But singing the
same chants again the next week not so much so. That earned the club a full
stadium ban and a €50.000 fine. Luckily, the club was able to get it suspended
for a year, but only based on good behavior. I’m starting to wonder if this lot
know what that is. But I didn’t hate them for this, I disagree with Lega Serie
A’s interpretation of UEFA’s guidelines, and especially their enforcement.
Although the Curva kind of lost me when they took it to the next level. While
making a point is important, hurting the club kind of defeats the purpose.
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| Although it cost the club a little, THIS is the kind of behavior I can stand behind |
This season, their patience with the team was almost
maddening, although incredibly admirable. I think many of us wanted them to
speak out much, much earlier. But when they finally did, they took it too far,
criticizing individual players, and holding not only our own team hostage for
hours, but also the players and fans from Genoa, too. They threatened our team,
saying they were waiting with sticks. All for 3 minutes with two of the players
who had just played their hearts out for them. And what was said? They
criticized a specific player who went to a club the night before a game and
asked that the players be more disciplined in that area, etc. Even though their
banners said they were angry at management, Allegri, the mercato, and more. All
of that misdirected anger kept hundreds hostage. And they gained notoriety
worldwide, too, not for making a point, but rather for their methods. Their
messages were lost in the passion. Not cool, Curva. Much less organized, much more
organized crime.
One month later came the derby. Inter’s Curva Nord had
earned themselves a partial stadium ban, and our Curva showed solidarity with
them and met with them ahead of Inter’s appeal of the ban being accepted. This
was admirable, even if I personally would have preferred the empty Curva Nord,
to be honest. And thus, both Curvas continued with their preparations of their coreografia for the legendary derby. That
is until the day of the match, when officials who had previously approved the
Curva Sud’s coreo abruptly changed
their minds and banned Milan’s banners and flags for the derby. Luckily,
Inter’s Curva Nord responded with the solidarity they had been shown a few days
earlier, and also didn’t bring their banners or flags. It was the weirdest
derby ever. But at least the Curva showed up to support their team.
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| The Derby: An imposed silence was painful enough |
Fast forward to the next match, this past Monday, when the
Curva Sud staged a “silent protest.” No flags or banners, and no chants. I can only
assume that it was in protest of the derby coreo
ban, and maybe the Lega Serie A’s ridiculous disciplinary record this
season with the “territorial discrimination.” But I don’t know. That’s how ineffective their “protest” was, I
don’t even know exactly what they were protesting. And in doing so, they denied
themselves the pleasure of celebrating Kaká’s 100th goal and Cristante’s debut
goal for their club. You know, that thing they claim to support. But not only
did they deny themselves, they also denied the team the support they so
desperately need with such a difficult season. And with the games shown
internationally, they made fools of themselves and the club they claim to love.
What did they accomplish? Did the Lega Serie A or stadium or city officials
give one single care that they were silent? I doubt it. Not cool, Curva. Not
cool at all.
So as if this weren’t enough for this season’s episodes of
fans behaving badly, yesterday, they announced that they will be boycotting the
Sassuolo game because they feel that the ticket prices are too high. Under
normal circumstances, I would applaud them on this. It is a noble cause, and
they are exactly the kind of group who can make an impact on ticket prices and
help to keep them low throughout Serie A. But this is not a normal season. Their
team need them… desperately. If ever there were a time for the Curva to show up
and show their support, that time would be now. And when you add their
unimpressive record of ineffective and ridiculous behaviors this season, they
are no better than the management or others that they have criticized. When
making your point becomes more important than supporting your team, are you
even a fan at all? When making your point actually hurts the team you claim to love so passionately, aren’t you then
closer to organized crime than anything else?
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| This is the kind of passion our team needs from you this year |
Why do you have to boycott the game? Why not show up with
clever signs and banners to show the world that Sassuolo is gouging the fans? Why
not use social media or other outlets to protest, while still supporting your
team? Sure, the €35/person lines the pockets of Sassuolo’s ownership, but think
of the long-term damage it could cost them in sponsors, etc. if everyone in the
whole world could actually get your
message. And you could still be there to support your team, too. In fact,
you might be the thing that gives your team the edge and you could help ensure
your team also takes 3 points from Sassuolo, who are not even guaranteed to be
in Serie A next year to gouge fans. Sometimes showing up is more important than
shutting up.
Sorry, Curva, I just can’t support your actions on this one.
You need to get over yourselves and realize that you’ve done more harm than
good this season and start supporting your team again. Any other time, any
other season, I could respect and support your boycott. But how can you abandon
your team now, when they need you most, just to make a point? Together, you
have great power. And with great power comes great responsibility. You call yourselves fans of my beloved club. I have very seriously
considered moving to Milano just to have the opportunity to support my club every week like you have. To
uproot my family, immigrate to a whole new country, learn a new language, find
a new job, etc. just so that I can be there for my club. And here you are, with that opportunity and more, and you
are abandoning my boys in their time
of need. Vergogna. If I do make it
there, I do not want to be associated with a group like you. A group who says
they support their club, but have so lost themselves in the passion of it all
that they have forgotten that showing up is the most important thing.
This post inspired by the music of U2’s
“War” album
Our next match is
Sassuolo vs. Milan
Sunday, January 12 • 20:45 CET (2:45pm EST)