Faded Glory

We try not to talk about how badly Milan has deteriorated. But in just two pictures, there is a vast chasm of disparity that says more than a thousand words, buckets of tears, or a slow death by alcohol could say. The bottom line is that in 2007, not only were Milan in the Champions League, they won it. In Athens, Greece. In 2014, we have a team that are not only not in Champions League, they couldn’t even win a match with a Greek side in a friendly. And to add insult to injury, on Saturday, we face Liverpool, the team that the 2007 side beat in that final. It’s got to be hard for Inzaghi, who scored both goals for Milan in 2007. Now he’s tasked with facing off with the same club he beat back then with this excuse for a team. With so many connections, it’s hard not to notice how faded Milan’s glory truly is.

2007 Glory: Maldini, Dida, Oddo, Nesta, Ambrosini, Seedorf, Inzaghi, Kaka, Gattuso, Pirlo, Jankulovski

To be fair, in 2007, it was a Champions League final, and these games are just preseason friendlies. No one has any idea how this season will go for us. But we do know that we won’t be in the Champions League final. And why is that, exactly? The same men who ran the club then are running the club now. But it is the habits they had then that led to the position we are in now. Well, and there was Calciopoli, which had just hit the year before that trophy we were lucky to win. And the current economic state in Italy, that hasn’t helped.

But those things simply required more daring and vision than either Berlusconi or Galliani ever had. Berlusconi wanted the club to do well so he would do well in his political career, he really only spent a lot when there was an election. Galliani is penny wise and dollar foolish with his free transfer and longer contract shenanigans, always looking for the best deal he can get today without any thought of how it would impact the club tomorrow.

Milan 2014: Bonera, Poli, Gabriel, Rami, Zlbertazzi, Zaccardo, Cristante, Saponara, Niang, Pazzini, El Shaarawy 

So here we are. This is the squad we have. Will Inzaghi’s magic be enough to inspire this lot to new glory? Or at least maybe a lesser humiliation than we all fear? Or is that glory completely gone from our beloved Milan? Saturday will be just a friendly, but it will bring up too many memories of a glory from days gone by whose shine is almost entirely faded from our club.

This post inspired by the Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-888-MERCATO

Our next match is

Guinness ICC Tournament

Liverpool vs. Milan

Saturday, August 2 • 6:30pm EDT

To watch this match in the US, check here for options