Hostage Situation

Perhaps Yonghong Li thinks all club purchases take eleven months. Or maybe he does everything at the last minute. But once again, he’s got the hopes and dreams of all Milanisti wrapped around his finger. Only this time, he’s also got our mercato and the UEFA appeal tied up, too. Not too mention the majority shares of the club all of us love so much. Milan fans find ourselves once again in a hostage situation.

Once considered a hero by some, he is now the villain in our story

Judgment Day

So the not-at-all-swift hammer of UEFA’s version of justice in Financial Fair Play (FFP) came down today, and came down hardest on Milan. After months of talking about “uncertainties” and warning Milan about the Elliott Fund debt, their ruling instead focused primarily on the “break-even” requirement of FFP. Their verdict was a two-year ban on European competition, with the second year apparently provisional based on meeting FFP requirements. So basically, a two-year ban. Amidst all of the rumors and uncertainties about a sale of the majority stake in the club, this decision absolutely feels like judgment day.

More randomly punitive than fair

American Dream

The news is difficult to rely on now. So many sources are reactionary, even more just try to be the first to report something, whether or not it is correct. But some stories gain so much weight that in the long run, they are believed long past when they are disproved. While some subscribe to the “where there’s smoke, there’s fire” theory that if it’s reported enough, there must be some truth to the story, I find that it is less and less true. And yet the reports of David Han Li being in New York do seem to be true, even if it remains to be seen if he is actually pursuing the American dream.

Suddenly every American billionaire wants Milan?

Podcast: Unresolved Pain

At a point when our mercato should be taking shape and all of us getting excited for the Europa League and the season, we still have no idea whether or not we will be playing in Europa League. Which has put our mercato completely on hold and intensified rumors surrounding the financial stability of the club. Of course, there’s plenty of other corruption and douchebaggery in Italy to discuss, but it doesn’t change Milan fans’ unresolved pain.

More questions than answers

Right on the Money

So much has been spoken in the media of Milan finances. Some correct, some much less so. Amidst the mixture of fact and fiction, Milan relatively quietly held their annual board meeting last week to approve the 2017-18 budget. And surprisingly enough, against all odds, Milan were right on the money.

Are we right where we should be?

World Cup Flashbacks

It was 1994. I had never watched “soccer” before. But the World Cup was being held here in the United States, and all of my friends from other countries told me I had to watch. So I did. And my life has never been the same since, gratefully.

Iconic heartbreak

Missing Out

As if it’s not bad enough facing a World Cup without Italy, Milan fans might be looking at a season without Europe. Not that we haven’t had our fair share of those seasons lately. But with an improved squad and a much better season, the idea hurts. We finally seemed to be rebuilding, but this just feels like a sucker punch. Most of all, it feels like we could be simply missing out.

Last year, fans welcomed Milan back to Europe with passion, this year we could be missing out altogether

Where Are They Now? Part VII

Some traditions never die, and perhaps this one should have. But in the painful limbo before the UEFA sentencing next week, the opening of the transfer market, and an Italy-free World Cup kicking off this week, I felt like we could all use a little humor. Or something. So in part seven of the enthralling and exclusive Milan Obsession’s “Where Are They Now?” series, I give you something.

Something.

What the News Won’t Tell You

Particularly with no football of note being played this week, and the transfer market not opening until July first, news agencies are desperate for news. Not desperate enough to actually report and do their homework, mind you, just desperate for clicks and views. In fact, they are so busy trying to whip people into a frenzy, they’ve forgotten to report news they previously reported. Especially when it comes to Milan and our financial situation. Despite the fact that it would actually benefit the league and news agencies that report on Serie A to get things right and not drag the league and its teams through the mire any more, they continue to write alarming reports and omit basic facts. So here is what the news won’t tell you.

That's a lot of money to pay just to be able to watch a few games

Transfer Hell

While we wait two more weeks for UEFA’s sentencing of Milan for FFP violations, Milan have put their mercato completely on hold. I can’t blame them, we have no idea if we will be playing in the Europa League or not. Or what kind of fines we may have to pay. Or if we will have a restriction on the number of players to be able to play in Europe. Or anything, really. So we wait, which seems like hell. But if you think about it, Milan have seen worse in recent years. Players who for some inexplicable reason wore the Milan jersey. Five of the past six years have been a proverbial transfer hell.

We've seen so much worse

Podcast: Another Season Ends

A season that was supposed to redeem Milan and the hopes of Milan fans took a sharp turn downwards with UEFA’s announcement that they refused to give Milan a settlement agreement. Despite the damper that put on the season and the far reaching implications that the news creates for our future, it was a good time to sit down and reflect on the team and all of our players.

The real reason UEFA denied the settlement agreement

Just Milan?

He said to me, “Oh come on, it’s just Milan.” I’m not sure if there were words after that or not, because I had already turned my back and walked away forever. Everyone who knows me knows that it’s never “just Milan” for me. I don’t even know how I ever lived not knowing about Milan, because the red and black coursing through my veins breathes life into me and keeps me going through thick and thin. It is not just my passion, it is literally my life. And I get that my coworkers or acquaintances may not understand that, but people close to me do. Or they’re not going to be close to me. And that’s why I walked away from him.

It probably sucks to get dumped for a football team, but it is Milan, after all