Far From Home

Milan seem to have been turned over into the proper hands now to get us back home where we belong: the Champions League. And while the previous owners that we trusted did more harm than good, we have learned from their mistakes and gone to battle with UEFA. Despite taking a big hit in abstaining from the Europa League next season, we’ve shown ourselves to be older and wiser. However, we are still far from home.

It feels like earth is safe for now, but can they get Milan home?

We talked about it for years. Berlusconi and Galliani may have led the club to glory for many years and many trophies, but they were also primarily responsible for Milan falling from grace. For years, they spent and spent and completely neglected the marketing side of the club. And just before they could be held accountable for their FFP transgressions, they let the club fall into the wrong hands. Some mysterious owner who claimed to be a superhero, but in the end was more smoke and mirrors… or was it drones? 

After years of operating at ever-increasing losses, UEFA swooped in and dropped the hammer on the club, thanks to the "uncertainties" about that mysterious guy. He was an Avengers-level threat, not just to the club, but especially to our finances. And so, after he was out of the picture, we were left to clean up the mess. Which is why the Elliott Fund chose to take the bullet and agree to miss out on the Europa League next year. It was the right thing to do.

The Thanos era is over

But after the financial bloodshed, Milan fans are wanting to see superhero strides forward, to get home as quickly as possible. However, despite having beloved heroes calling the shots now at Milan, the choices they are making feel very risky and difficult to trust. The signings they have made haven’t even been announced. I’ve read varying stories as to why, but I think it may have to do with our new management and having them properly registered, I am not sure. I wish my spider sense was working properly.

The signings we are making seem largely midtable, not experienced or proven players that we can count on to lead us back to the Champions League, back home. Which reminds me, their choice of coach is quite the gamble, too. Giampaolo has never won anything or done anything that merits the Milan bench. Sure, people like his style of football. And yes, perhaps it will end well. Or it could end in carnage, with more casualties and the kind of wisdom that can only be gained from making mistakes.

Not even sure he's a superhero, let alone an Avenger

As much as we all want to believe that someone has swooped in to save us, our management are young and inexperienced, and our owners a hedge fund who are merely football fans, they have never owned a club. Even if the last part of the Berlusconi era feels more like a blip, and that mysterious guy is no longer in the picture, it just still feels like Milan are a long way away from the Champions League. We are far from home.

*No spoilers were harmed in the writing of this post.

This post inspired by the latest Marvel movie, “Spiderman: Far From Home”