Torino 2, Milan 1: Horror Show in Turin

Milan, or the ghosts of a Milan team we knew, went to Turin on Sunday night, only to find themselves in the middle of a horror show. Torino hacked their way through 95 minutes, Abisso was somewhat abysmal with the whistle, and the team's mentality never arrived in Turin. Perhaps it was an identity crisis, as Torino's home kit required Milan to wear half of their away kit and half of their home kit. At least that would be one explanation for what we saw. But the end result was a 2-1 loss to the number 10 team, dropping three points, and an overall horror show in Turin.

A nightmare of a game that Milan never woke up from

Torino-Milan: Ghost Stories

The year was 2021. Milan were desperate to return to the Champions League, but competition for top four was fierce. One cool, damp evening, they headed to the Grande Torino Stadium. Some say it is haunted by the ghosts of the team it is named for, who all died in the Superga disaster so many years ago. This time, however, it was Milan who would leave with blood on their hands. Like an axe murderer in a horror film, they destroyed that Torino side 7-0, taking no prisoners. Sunday, they return to Torino once again, hungry for more.

Haunted by injuries and exes, Milan could really use some Ghostbuster energy right now

GNK Dinamo Zagreb 0, AC Milan 4: Clear Message

After being robbed of any possibility of a result at home against Chelsea by referee Daniel Siebert, Milan needed three points in this match to maintain a chance of progressing to the Round of 16. Despite having Tomori suspended, also thanks to Mr. Siebert, and having so many players unavailable, Milan sent a clear message regarding their intentions with a 4-0 win over Dinamo Zagreb in Croatia.

All three on target to send a clear message about Milan's intentions to progress

Champions League Group Stage • GNK Dinamo Zagreb vs. AC Milan: Crunch Time

Milan travel to Croatia on Tuesday with plenty of injuries, but only one thing on their mind: qualifying for the Champions League Round of 16. Unfortunately, that is the same thing that Dinamo Zagreb will be focusing on as well. Both teams sit at the bottom of Group E on 4 points, with Milan ahead only by the slightest of goal differentials. Considering the fact that Dinamo are at home and have fewer players missing, Milan will need to have a perfect game. And hope for a better referee than our last Champions League match, too. Milan should be able to move on, but anything can happen in this group, so this is a must-win now to make that happen. It's crunch time.

Hoping that Milan will burst into Zagreb like a Tonali header 

Milan 4, Monza 1: Mission Accomplished

Maybe it is just the "military green" kits, but Brahim Díaz triumphantly saluting after scoring an amazing goal made this game seem more like just another battle in a war than an actual football match. Or maybe it was just because he, too, became yet another casualty of Milan's ongoing war with injuries. Either way, despite a brilliant 4-1 victory over Berlusconi's new cheap knockoff AC Milan team, I just couldn't enjoy this one like I should have. It's probably just those hideous kits, they make everyone look so sickly with that unnatural color. Or maybe it was because of all of the injuries and potential injuries, it just felt more like a classic "Mission Accomplished moment".

He shared this pic with the caption "Always at your service," which is so true

Milan-Monza Preview: So We Meet Again

Milan welcome back to the San Siro a couple of old acquaintances on Saturday. And when I say old, I mean Berlusconi is 86 years old, and Galliani is a spry 78 years old. After using Milan for Berlusconi's political purposes until he was done with it and then letting the club fall into ruin, then selling it to a charlatan for way more money than it was worth, they pretend like they have some claim to Milan's current success. Ironically, that success was built from the ashes of their ruin by Maldini, who was blocked from returning to the club for nine years by Galliani. Meanwhile, Berlusconi wanted to get back into politics, so he bought a new club, not too far away, AC Monza. Not coincidentally, I'm sure, it has the same starting letters, the same number of letters, and also the color red, just like AC Milan. So while he lives in his delusions and past successes, and probably has parties with only a single Bunga now, his team have somehow made their way up to Serie A and are coming to the San Siro. So we meet again.

Let's just hope there are some celebrations like this on Saturday

Verona 1, Milan 2: A Win to Forget

With so many players missing and Milan struggling so much away this season in those white kits, a trip to the Bentegodi was never going to be easy. But we probably never expected it to be that painful, either. Pioli played with the formation, his tactics, and lineups due to all of the missing players, and it did not always go well for us. We also conceded a goal that was deflected into our own net, which is never fun to watch, either. But we did get to see some players get some playing time that we have not seen much of, and thanks to Tonali, we actually did get the 2-1 win. Still, it was a win to forget.

Take the 3 points and move on to the next match

Verona-Milan Preview: Battle at the Bentegodi

After a demoralizing loss robbery in the Champions League midweek, Milan are looking to bounce back with a win in the league. There are two problems with that. The first is that they still have a number of injuries to key players. The second is that they are away, to the Bentegodi no less. A stadium that is known for having some of the most hostile, combative, volatile fans in Serie A. Verona also have a brand new coach, as they currently sit in the relegation zone, desperate for points. However, they have a number of key injuries of their own, so it will be more like a battle at the Bentegodi.

Milan will need to bring all of their available weapons to battle

AC Milan 0, Chelsea FC 2: Hell Hath No Fury

After Chelsea had their way with a Milan side that was missing nine players last week, we knew this match would be difficult. But we also knew that a sold out San Siro with 75,000 passionate Milan fans would give any team hell. What no one ever expected was that a referee would singlehandedly change the match to give Chelsea even more of an advantage. Again. After last year's debacle that saw UEFA referees suspended, you would think UEFA would choose referees more carefully, especially so that Milan and their group were not influenced by the officials. Again. But German referee Daniel Siebert apparently did not get that memo from UEFA. Or perhaps he did? Either way, Hell hath no fury like a club that has been robbed by UEFA referees two years in a row.

A good ref should never be the talking point. And UEFA did not send a good ref.

Champions League Group Stage • AC Milan vs. Chelsea FC: Welcome To Hell

Last Wednesday's match in London was perhaps the most painful loss in Pioli's tenure since that loss to Atalanta that inspired the amazing winning mentality they have built ever since. However, Pioli learned from that loss, lessons he put into place to defeat Juventus. Having a healthy Theo Hernández back did not hurt, either. But the real advantage on Tuesday, when Chelsea come to Milano will be Milan's amazing fans. A San Siro packed with fans who start each match by singing "Pioli is on Fire," and do not stop singing or supporting their team until the final whistle. The match will be tough, it may not even be winnable, but Chelsea will not be made comfortable. Welcome to Hell.

This is not a little tea party. Welcome to Hell.

Milan 2, Juventus 0: The Answer

After a soul-crushing loss to Chelsea midweek in the Champions League, it was difficult to know whether or not Milan would be able to come up with answers against a Juventus side that scored six goals this week in two wins. Additionally, in response to Juve's poor form this season, Allegri had begged the question, what would happen if you took away five starters from Milan? Tonight, with seven players out injured, most of them starters, Allegri got the answer.

Tomori had the answer. Again.

Milan-Juventus Preview: When The Going Gets Tough

Milan are used to being dealt some serious levels of misfortune. However, they are also used to rising above it and conquering it with an incredible mentality, a mentality that won the Scudetto against all odds last season. However, after their 22 match league unbeaten streak was broken by Napoli ahead of the recent break, their mentality finally crumbled midweek against Chelsea in the Champions League after the second goal was conceded. Now Juventus are coming to the San Siro, and with so many important players still out, Milan face another tough test on Saturday. So what will happen this time when the going gets tough?

Let's hope the San Siro looks something like this on Saturday

Chelsea 3, Milan 0: Crushed

The writing was on the wall for this one, but it doesn't make the loss any less painful. Milan's signature mentality was broken between the onslaught of really horrible, long-term injuries and the crowded schedule, including an international break that saw 16 of our players called up for their national teams. The brave young team, some of whom were literally our third choice at that spot, showed up to play for the first 20 minutes or so, but were soon overpowered by a team at full strength, playing at home, with the energy from a new coach. Losing is never easy. Losing 3-0 is worse. But losing when you've been pummeled by injuries relentlessly is more like being crushed.

When even your best was never going to be good enough

Champions League Group Stage • Chelsea FC vs. AC Milan: Like Lambs to the Slaughter

Milan come into this match as Group E leaders, but have an injury crisis that would make prior year's injury crises blush, mainly because of the severity and length of injuries to key players. When you add those injuries to the healthy players that Pioli had to leave off of the Champions League List A, our prospects for the Chelsea match on Wednesday are... very young. One might even say "like lambs to the slaughter."

We have to hold on to what we've got and hope for the best

Empoli 1, Milan 3: Last Gasp Win

Milan's mentality knows no bounds. Having lost three new players to injuries in this match alone, and seeming to be a team playing on their last gasp, they came back in stoppage time to take all three points from Empoli. The cost is obviously very high, with new injuries to Saelemaekers, Calabria, and Kjaer very worrisome heading into yet another insane round of fixtures in both the Champions League and Serie A. As mentioned ahead of this match, when Milan are missing big players, other players step in to fill those shoes, and that happened again tonight. Ballo-Touré scored his first goal for Milan, and with goals from Rebić and Leão, the three points were ours. It was a miraculous finish to an absolutely nailbiting game, a last gasp win.

The last gasp win from a new hero