Truths and Lies: Juventus' Legacy of Corruption

Rival fans delighted in watching the soulless Agnelli and the entire Juventus board resign on Monday. Juventus are one of the most hated clubs in Italy, rivaled only by Inter, who would probably be hated more if they were actually relevant or won trophies of their own accord. Juventus also have a long track record of accusations of scandal, from doping to matchfixing to illicit transfer activities to ties to organized crime and more. While they have largely been proven innocent or escaped punishment, rival fans know that when there is smoke, there is always fire. Somewhere between the jealousy, hatred, and defamation from rivals there are both truths and lies about what Juventus has actually done. And the truths are why Juventus can never escape their legacy of corruption.

Corrupting Serie A since 1897?

Football, Money, and Sportswashing: When the World Doesn't Buy In

Football brings the world together. The World Cup, in particular, has the power to bring people together like nothing else. There are those who would take advantage of this, using football to gain money, power, or political advantage. Everyone from FIFA to political figures or entire countries have notoriously sought to use the World Cup to clean up their image after scandals and corruption, something coined as sportswashing. Usually, the power of football on the global stage makes people forget. But what would happen if the world didn't buy in? This year, FIFA and Qatar are finding out.

The world said a resounding no. Qatar says this stadium is filled beyond capacity.

Boycotting the World Cup

Stick to the football, they say. Respect the culture, they say. Some people have no idea how or why a football fan would boycott the World Cup, football's biggest event. Especially for someone like me, who fell in love with football because of a World Cup tournament. But some things are more important than football. The corruption and prioritization of money over people or even football that FIFA has shown, from the awarding of this tournament, the change of schedule, all the way to the supporting of the suppression of basic human rights is absolutely horrifying. That a nation like Qatar thinks it is okay to abuse human beings and contribute to thousands of deaths, then invite the world into their country and enforce their religious beliefs upon them, going so far as to telling people what they can do or say or even wear is the opposite of what football and the World Cup are all about. These reasons and more are why I am boycotting this World Cup.

Some things are just more important than football

Counting on Olivier Giroud

When Olivier Giroud transferred from Chelsea last summer, many fans complained that we were getting another aging, injury-prone striker. Others worried he would fall victim to the curse of the number nine jersey, which had troubled players who had worn it since Pippo Inzaghi retired ten years ago. But Giroud knew that he could be very useful to Milan, and that Milan would give him the opportunity to prove that he still had what it takes. At the heart of it all was proving to Deschamps that he deserved to be at the World Cup this year for France, his third representing his country. Now, with Benzema injured, Giroud will take center stage for his national team. Because he has proven at Milan this past year that you can still count on Olivier Giroud, serial winner.

The man's career has been all about winning

Podcast: Where We Stand

With the World Cup splitting this season into two parts, Nate from Milan Club of DC helped me talk about where Milan stand after matchday 15 ahead of the World Cup break. He also shared about traveling to Milano for the Chelsea-Milan Champions League match. We caught up on Milan news, the World Cup callups, and recent matches, and discussed the impact of injuries so far this season.

15 Serie A matches down, 23 left to go

Milan 2, Fiorentina 1: Surviving

Milan believed in the win and kept fighting to the end, but it was good fortune that saw them escape this match with the three points against a Fiorentina side who were not as lucky. Leão opened up the scoring right away, but Italiano's side gave up the own goal in the dying minutes, even if they deserved at least a point from their performance. There were a couple of controversial VAR reviews in this one, and none of the Milan players had a particularly brilliant performance, so this one was more about simply surviving.

Stayin' alive... barely

Milan-Fiorentina Preview: Forged in Viola, Gilded in Rossoneri

Sunday is our last game of this calendar year. After a disappointing goalless draw on Tuesday that left us eight points adrift of league leaders Napoli and saw both Juve and Inter gain points on us, only a win would be acceptable in this match. However, Fiorentina have finally found some consistency under Italiano this season, having won five straight matches in all competitions. So Pioli faces the team that helped make him the man and the coach that he is today, needing a win for the team that made him a champion. He was forged in Viola, and gilded in Rossoneri.

From crisis counselor to Champion.

Injuries By the Numbers: The Impact So Far

Milan have played 20 matches so far. In those matches, they have had 105 player absences. That is 105 player absences in 20 matches. These are not just any players, either, as the players with some of the most absences are impact players with undeniable skills and leadership, such as Ibrahimović, Florenzi, Calabria, and Maignan. While there is much debate about just why Milan have dropped as many points as they have thus far, it is difficult to argue that injuries have not impacted the team, both with the physical absences as well as their effect on the overall mentality.

Leaders missing: our captain, starting GK, and Viking CB have 26 games unavailable between them

Cremonese 0, Milan 0: Running on Fumes

Pioli has found Milan's threshold for grinta, and missing eight players after playing every three to four games for weeks seems to have used every last drop of blood and sweat these players have. With so many players out, he actually switched his system, playing a three man backline, which did not go as badly as you might expect. In fact, by the end of the first half, Milan were almost looking like themselves again. But they did not have enough left in the tank for the second half, and the match ended in a very disappointing 0-0 draw. This team is running on fumes.

Running on empty.

Cremonese-Milan Preview: Penultimate Match of the Year

This match will be played on November 8th, and will be Milan's penultimate match of the year, officially. This World Cup is really messing things up. But we are nearly to the break, and our last away match of the calendar year is not too far away to the newly promoted Lombardy side Cremonese. With all of the injuries and suspensions, I am not sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing to be so near our year's end, but here we are.

Milan will need to dig deep to find all three points in their final away match of the year

Podcast: Back Where We Belong

After nine long years, Milan are back in the knockout round of the Champions League. Oh, and the podcast is back, too, with Boaz, the legend from the epic Scudetto Podcast as my guest. Despite some technical difficulties, we caught up on the latest in Milan news and recent matches, and then discussed the Champions League Group Stage and the Primavera's UEFA Youth League as well. We are back where we belong.

Milan are climbing back to where we belong.

Milan 2, Spezia 1: Winning Isn't Everything

Sometimes, winning is not fun. Like when your team scores three beautiful goals, but only two count and your top scorer gets sent off celebrating the winning goal. Or like when the youngest member of a family dynasty for your club scores... against you. Or when the referee hands out more cards than you handed out candy on Halloween, and he still lost control of the match. Or when you face your next match missing seven players, six of them starters, due to injury and suspension. Three points are great, they are very important, but winning isn't everything.

Epic goal, epic celebration, epic ridiculous suspension for Tuesday

Milan-Spezia Preview: Building Momentum

Milan have had a very mercurial week, beginning with a disconcerting loss away to Torino, then Pioli's renewal on Monday, and finally, an impressive win in the Champions League to qualify for the Round of 16 on Wednesday. Now they have to continue to build momentum as they host Spezia at the San Siro on Saturday.

Milan need to build on their midweek win to stay competitive in Serie A

AC Milan 4, FC Salzburg 0: Qualified

It is November second, and Milan have already achieved their season's goal of going further in the Champions League this year than last. By obliterating Salzburg 4-0 in front of a sold out San Siro, Milan secured second spot in Group E and have qualified for the Round of 16 for the first time since 2014. The performance was dominant and ensured that the club will receive the extra cash involved for qualification as well as additional TV rights monies, even if they bow out in the next round. After a very negative performance on Sunday against Torino, Milan reacted well and are qualified.

Contract renewal and qualification all in one week. Worth celebrating.

Champions League Group Stage • AC Milan vs. FC Salzburg: For All the Money

Wednesday is the final matchday in the Champions League Group Stage, and Milan and Salzburg are battling for second spot in Group E as Chelsea has all but wrapped up top spot and Dinamo Zagreb are out of contention. Milan suffered their first away loss in the league in almost a year on Sunday with a disturbing 2-1 loss to Torino, breaking their streak at 17 matches. Meanwhile, after drawing with them in September, Salzburg come to the San Siro confident, top of the Austrian Bundesliga and with a win on Saturday as well. Both teams will be fighting for qualification to the Round of 16 and for all of the money that comes along with it.

Even though we're now also missing our captain, goalkeeper, and scorer from the first match, let's do this