The opening two matches of the season gave Milan fans plenty to talk about, and something to smile about as well. We witnessed the Champions League draw, players are going on international duty, and the mercato is spinning deliriously to a halt. With all of this big news, I needed a lifelong Milan fan to talk to, so I invited Igor from Serbia back.
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| Great to be in the spotlight for all of the right reasons again |
Milan fans have suffered long and hard, waiting and "rebuilding" over and over again, year after year, yearning for the days in which Milan was respected and feared, and the San Siro was a fortress. With the return of the fans to the stadium after 546 days apart, this team did not disappoint. Not just for the four goals, all scored in the first half, but for the beautiful plays, the dazzling skills on display, and the unity and teamwork throughout the match. This return to the San Siro was what dreams are made of.
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| A dream come true for players and fans |
For the first time since February 17, 2020, Milan fans will be able to be at the San Siro to support their team. The world has changed drastically since then, with a global pandemic still impacting everyone and everything we do. For example, only fans with a Green Pass, showing they are vaccinated or have tested negative for COVID, will be allowed to attend. San Siro will only be able to have a maximum of 50% capacity, and they have to sit in a specified diagonal seating arrangement for social distancing. Our team has also changed, having qualified for the Champions League, and with a number of players in and out. Our French-speaking contingency has grown, so perhaps instead of saying "Welcome home" to the fans, we should be saying "Bienvenue à la maison."
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| The fans are coming home |
The Champions League draw happened. We know our opponents. Now it is time to look ahead. Milan knew that being in pot four would automatically pair us up with the best clubs, but this group may just have four very strong teams all hoping to progress. Yet Milan were the strongest from that final round group stage?
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| #BackHome, but for how long? |
When Stefano Pioli was hired in early October of 2019 to replace the disastrous tenure of Marco Giampaolo, I doubt even he imagined that he would sill be at Milan this year. Some believed he was only brought in to right the ship, others believed it was another poor decision from the club. Even Gazidis did not believe in him, going behind Maldini and Massara's back just a few weeks after Pioli was hired to talk extensively about bringing in Ralf Rangnick, possibly as both technical director and manager. After surviving his first season by rallying the team into an unbeaten finish, the club put their faith in him once again this past season. Now, he was unquestionably the choice to begin this season, and everyone is curious to see what he brings to the table as Pioli 3.0.
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| Season 3 |
When you think about the launch of a rocket, there is a countdown and every calculation planned and checked again and again, until the launch becomes an explosive, fiery reality, thrusting the rocket with enough force to leave earth's atmosphere. Yet re-entry can actually be more dangerous for astronauts, with less control, more speed and more heat and pressure. This game had all of those things and more. Fans looking forward to the first match of the season were not disappointed, as Milan pulled us back into Serie A with force like gravity and all of the heat and intensity you would expect upon re-entry.
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| The team and fans coming back with intensity |
While all of the other Serie A opening matches will have been played on Saturday and Sunday, Sampdoria and Milan fans have to wait in anticipation until Monday to see how their teams kick off their respective seasons. To add to the excitement/stress, after Monday, there will only be eight days left of the transfer window. Milan finished second last season, but just barely, so will want to start their season off right with all three points. But Sampdoria, having finished ninth last year, will have something to prove. This one may not be just another manic Monday.
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| The missing piece Milan have needed |
Although Milan finished second this past season, pundits and oddsmakers are predicting them finishing lower on the table this year. I invited Glenn from @tifosidownunder back on to help me try to figure out why. We also tried to understand why Puma made a pajama top for our third kit, review the mercato, friendlies, and more. Catch up on everything Milan before the season kicks off and see if you think Milan are being underrated.
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| Dark horse jersey? Or nightmare? |
The new season is almost upon us, and the betting odds are coming out as to which team will win the Scudetto this year. Nearly everyone is choosing Juventus as the favorites, with many also calling Inter and Atalanta ahead of Milan's chances. I don't know how they make these calls, but it is nice that the pressure is off of Milan. Particularly since the last time no one took Milan seriously, we went on a 24 match unbeaten run in all competitions and ended up second last season. With Milan returning to the Champions League again this year, a top four finish again would be amazing, but a Scudetto would be better. What are the odds?
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| Do they have what it takes? |
Milan's epic European Tour of four preseason friendlies ended earlier with a 2-1 win over Greek side Panathinaikos. For those who appreciate nostalgia, it was played in Trieste, birthplace of legends like Cesare Maldini and Nereo Rocco. In fact, Rocco was such a legend in the city, they named their stadium after him, the Stadio Nereo Rocco. Milan also honored him by installing a statue of Rocco overlooking the training grounds at Milanello. Personally, I am hoping that this trip back to Milan's winning roots is a sign of good things to come, but only time will tell. Depending on how seriously you rate friendlies, we did learn a few things from Milan's preseason European Tour.
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| Finally, someone who knows how to score |
Fans know the scenario all too well. Players are brought in, perhaps they were never Milan quality, perhaps they were young and unproven, or maybe they were even proven elsewhere. Yet they fail to deliver when called upon, especially when they have inexplicably found favor with a coach and are called upon often. The ones who do not get time may agree to go on loan to other clubs to play, but stay on the roster and create a burden for sporting directors to try to offload each mercato. We have seen Milan lose money on players who never lived up to their transfer fees, or who were signed to a five year contract when they should have never been given more than one or two. Then there are the players who simply refuse to leave, taking up a valuable space in the team. Why is it so hard to leave Milan?
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| Why leave when you start every match? |
The mercato does strange things to the fans. They forget players, performances, and even facts surrounding transfers in order to come to terms with reality. During the season, Hauge was a Milan fan favorite. But after months of the press linking him away, that affection turned to justification of his move. That justification came about because of false facts propagated through the media and social media. People who previously loved Hauge and did not want him to leave are now saying this is a "good deal" or a"huge profit." Lost in their misinformation and attempts to justify this move is the fact that we are losing Hauge.
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| When it comes to the Northern Lights, don't forget to look up |
Six years ago, Milan faced Real Madrid in a preseason friendly. That match ended 0-0 in regulation. A 16 year-old goalkeeper called Gianluigi Donnarumma mad his debut in the 70th minute and saved a penalty from Toni Kroos. Earlier, Milan faced Real Madrid again, and Mike Maignan saved a penalty from Gareth Bale. Coincidence? Or is it an omen? Because if it is an omen, we could be facing another six years of excellent goalkeeping with our newest keeper.
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| Does saving a penalty against Real Madrid bring 6 years of good form? |
Destination three on Milan's series of meaningless friendlies branded as our "European Tour" takes us to Klagenfurt, Austria. To play Real Madrid. Why Austria? Who knows? Maybe Carletto fancies some proper Apfelstrudel, or the guys want to visit the famous Lindwurm fountain. Or perhaps Maldini wants to take a sail on the beautiful Lake Wörthersee, the namesake of the Wörthersee Stadium where we will play. Basically, if the two most successful clubs in Europe want to have a family reunion, you may as well have it in a beautiful location. Which makes this a real friendly.
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| History. |
The football world was rocked this week with news from Spain. First, from Valencia, the action-packed, COVID super spreading thriller that was known as the Trofeo Naranja. It was a match that could only be decided by the very slimmest of margins, and a match that was of infinite importance, at least to the marching band. As if that wasn't enough, further up the coast, in the wantaway region of Catalonia, some Barcelona player called Lionel Messi also declared his wantaway status. It is difficult to establish which of these news stories will have more impact on the footballing world, so I will do my best to cover both.
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| Obviously, Messi would accept an invite from World Cup winner Zaccardo |
Next stop on Milan's European Tour is Valencia, Spain, where Milan will face Los Che in the 49th edition of the Trofeo Naranja. While that sounds all official and everything, it's really just another summer friendly. But there is a trophy. And since it wasn't played last year, Inter are the current "title holders" (meaning they won it on penalties but probably count it amongst their paltry offering of International trophies.) So it would be nice if Milan won properly, just to shame them. But with Milan having finished second in Serie A last year, and Valencia having finished 13th in La Liga, it really should be like comparing apples to oranges.
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| Valencia did beat Real Madrid 4-1 back in November... |