Roma-Milan Preview: Thrown to the Wolves

Saturday’s game comes on the back of a loss on Wednesday that was a pill apparently too hard to swallow for Milan fans. Like adding insult to injury, we are going to Roma to play at the Olimpico, two things that are always difficult to do even with a successful team. Roma’s fans have also struggled to deal with their team’s failings this year, at one point bringing 50 kilos (110 lbs.) of carrots to their training ground and calling their players rabbits (cowards.) But at least they spent their money and bought carrots, which are actually edible and show some concern for the health of their players. Milan fans just verbally assault their players and spew ridiculous dribble on social media, blaming everyone and everything they can for the loss as if we were top of the league and this loss came out of nowhere. Acting entitled to a victory when nothing at all pointed to the expectation of a better performance. Personally, I’d rather have the carrots. And at least Roma spent lots of money to build this team and were doing really well before they tanked, whereas Milan have been inconsistent for years now with lots of problems both financially and from management. So after a week that has been tough for everyone, Milan are being thrown to the wolves.

Wolves are more humane than Milan or its fans

Rudi Garcia was thrown to the wolves when he was hired at Roma, and has enjoyed some big successes, but is very much under fire for a very underperforming team now. His club have spent so much money to build a team capable of winning the Scudetto, and yet they languish now in fifth place with 33 points. They were also sent crashing out of the Coppa Italia at the hands of Serie B side Spezia in December on penalties. Ouch. Still, at least through Saturday, he is at the helm, with Roma’s management continuing to have faith in him and publicly confirming him (what would that be like?)

That may not last long, though, with results like they had on Wednesday vs. Chievo, when Roma went up 2-0 and ended up drawing to the lower table side 3-3. For that match in Verona, Garcia lined up Szczesny; Rüdiger, Digne, Maicon, Monolas; Falqué, Vainqueur, Florenzi; Salah, Gervinho, and Sadiq. Unfortunately, Salah was injured in that match and is in question for tomorrow as is De Rossi still in doubt for fitness. Then Garcia has a laundry list of confirmed injured players, including Keita, Sakih Ucan, Abdullahi Nura, Ponce, Nainggolan, Capradossi, and Strootman. Last but not least, Dzeko earned himself a multiple match ban in their match vs. Genoa before the break for abusing a referee and was unsuccessful in his attempts to have that ban reversed, so will miss our match as well. There is one bright spot for the home side in that Totti is rumored to be returning from injury, but the wolves will certainly be crippled by missing so many players.

At least his management have the balls to make a public statement of support for him

I doubt Milan fans are taking any comfort in any of that, because they’re too busy completely losing it on social media and destroying what was left of Milan class in the process. They are too busy speculating on Mihajlovic’ future, since the club can’t possibly do the right thing and confirm him or sack him, to know that he is still missing Balotelli, Lopez, and Menez for fitness reasons, but should have a full squad otherwise. After criticizing abusing their own players and feeling sorry for themselves instead of watching the match on Wednesday with an open mind, it’s hard to imagine Roma’s wolves being worse than Milan’s own fans. Pretty sure our players are more than anxious to face whatever result on the pitch rather than be emotionally bludgeoned… again. By their “supporters.”

At least Roma fans actually put some effort and creativity into their insults

I watched Roma’s fans melt down this season as their team, which was built to win, just choked time and time again, thinking I was happy not to be a Roma fan, they seemed so terrible. Little did I know that my fellow Milan fans would lower the bar so much when it came to fan douchebaggery, I would rather literally be thrown to actual wolves than be associated with some of these people on social media, it is mortifying. I don’t know what our chances are of actually winning or maybe getting the draw in Rome, but I am sure that no matter what the result, Milan fans will humiliate the crest even more. We all hurt. We’re all tired of hurting. We all want things to change, but not for the worse. Not at the expense of the class Milan fans used to be known for. Here’s a hint: before you say something on social media, think WWMD? (What Would Maldini Do?) I know it’s probably hard to remember, but try. Our class is all we have left as fans, and if you give that away because of our suffering, then they have really won. It’s bad enough that everyone and everything else at the club has been thrown to the wolves.

This post inspired by the music of NIN’s “Mr. Self Destruct”

Roma vs. Milan

Saturday, January 9 • 20:45 CET (2:45pm EST)

This match will be shown LIVE on RAI in the U.S.