At Home Ultras

We are the At Home Ultras. Some of us may never be able to make the pilgrimage to the San Siro, or perhaps we save for years just to attend one game. If we are really lucky, we might attend a summer friendly if the team come to our town. Our voices will never be heard in the stadium cheering and singing for our team. We may not make the incredible coreografia that the Curva Sud are known for. But we bleed red and black, and we watch every game, no matter what time it is where we live.

In lieu of a stadium

The passion with which the At Home Ultras support our team may not contribute to the atmosphere at the stadium on gameday, but that does not lessen the passion we feel for our team. Whether the game is in the middle of the day or the middle of the night, we are watching, every bit invested in the game as if we were there.

If we were there… some of us save for years just to travel to the San Siro and see even one game. Or if our stars align perfectly, and Milan come play a friendly close to home, we can watch a summer friendly, even if it’s nothing like being at San Siro in a competitive match. Maybe we are lucky enough to meet a player or coach, or even have the privilege of talking to a Milan player.

The rest of the time, we follow every transfer rumor, every news story, and of course, every single Milan match. Some of us even choose to produce Milan-related content to connect with other fans and express some of the passion that feeds our Rossoneri hearts.

Best coreo in the world, but best people?

No, we do not have the advantage of intensifying the atmosphere at the stadium with our colors, our banners, our voices, and drums. But we also do not get arrested for drug trafficking or other crimes. No, we do not create and execute what is arguably the best coreo in the world for Milan, but we also do not stab and kill fans from opposing teams. In fact, we don’t fight with and stab our own fans, either.

The real-life ultras of the Curva Sud are glorified and put on a pedestal, but in real life, many are criminals. They often protest and turn against the team for ridiculous reasons, many times for their own political gain. Too many times, they whistle and abuse throughout the match, or even threaten our own players with sticks. For all of the passion, intensity, and atmosphere they bring to the game, there is a very dark side to the devoted fans who attend every match and worship Milan in ways that the rest of us could only dream of.

The fire that burns in our hearts equals that of the actual fire in the San Siro

So we sit at home and watch every minute of every game and eat, sleep, and breathe Milan. It is all we know. We don’t get to bring our passion to the stadium, at least not very often, but we also behave with the character that AC Milan is known for. We use our voices from home to contribute to a worldwide fanhood, waiting until we have the privilege of stepping into San Siro again. We are the At Home Ultras.

At this uncertain time, we are all At Home Ultras, all united and cheering for healing and the hope of Milan returning again. May we all use this time to support one another like we support Milan.

This post inspired by the music of Andrea Bocelli’s “Music for Hope”