Scudetto Aftermath: The Price of Winning

There was much discussion about Milan being unable to defend their Scudetto this season. However, no one talked about the fact that immediately after winning, Elliott Management sold the club. That put everything into disarray, pushing the renewal of Maldini and Massara's contracts until the ultimate last minute, and turning our entire transfer market upside down. We lost all of our transfer targets, much of our expected transfer budget, and crucial time in the transfer window. And that was just the start of the perfect storm that would affect Milan's ability to replicate the previous season. Yet this "Scudetto aftermath" has become the norm in Serie A, with the past four winners all having major difficulties after their league wins. Apparently, it is just the price of winning.

Win the league, sell the club... who does that?

Juventus 0, Milan 1: A Little Justice

For years, Inter and others have built a false narrative that Juventus owned the referees. So much so that they were able to get Juventus relegated in 2006 when Inter and even Milan were actually more guilty of talking to referees in the infamous Calciopoli scandal. The narrative continued as Juventus rebuilt, using their owner's political strength to build a stadium and become a financial powerhouse in Italy. Certainly, Milan were on the wrong end of some serious referee errors, even leading to changes in technology. But then Agnelli got greedy and went too far, systematically using capital gains as well as lying to shareholders and other alleged financial crimes to gain a sporting advantage. While Milan made bitter sacrifices to do everything right, Juve did the opposite. Juve's 10 point deduction was finalized this week, a decision they are reportedly not going to appeal. That pulled them out of top four and put Milan into fourth place. Tonight's 1-0 win over Juve at the Allianz stadium solidified Milan's Champions League qualification for next season while mathematically excluding Juve's chances, making it feel like there was finally just a little justice.

There is something poetic about the justice and this little team's unity

Juventus-Milan Preview: The Importance of Showing Up

Two games. That is all Milan have left to prove that they can qualify for Champions League next year. In an ironic twist of fate, this past week, our hosts for this one were once again handed a points deduction for their systematic use of capital gains between 2018-2021. That ten point penalty pulled Juve out of top four and made room for Milan to take the fourth place spot... for now. But there is stiff competition for that spot, and every point will count in these last two matches, so it is very important for the team to show up. Unfortunately, the Curva Sud have said they will not to show up for this one, breaking their immense display of support this season to protest Juventus' criminally overpriced tickets and policies. That support alone could affect the outcome of this match, highlighting the importance of showing up.

Hope this is the Milan that shows up.

Podcast: Making Milan Champions Again

Milan missed out on all of their opportunities for trophies, including exiting Champions League in the semifinal against Inter. Now we have two games left to make top four and be eligible to compete next year, so I invited a new guest, Sal, of the Curva Mundial Podcast to join me and discuss all things Milan. We discussed his Milan origin story, discussed the recent matches, and then talked about how we can make Milan champions again.

Still the key to Milan's future

Milan 5, Sampdoria 1: Bon Voyage

Milan hosted Sampdoria for the last time in Serie A for at least a season on Saturday, and sent them off with a 5-1 goalfest. Giroud got his first hat trick at Milan, but Quagliarella answered back with his first goal of the season. Brahim Díaz played like a man possessed, and Leão had a goal and an assist to go along with his Serie A Player of the Month award he picked up before the match. I doubt it was the sendoff that Sampdoria had in mind, but it was a match in with both teams played to the final whistle. At full time, Sampdoria players were soaking in the atmosphere, probably enjoying the last time they will play in a stadium of 70,000 fans for a while as they journey into Serie B. Bon Voyage.

Giroud sending Sampdoria off in style with his first Milan hat trick.

Milan-Sampdoria Preview: Pride

This match is all about pride. Sampdoria have already been relegated, and are facing a potentially worse fate off the pitch, so are simply playing for pride. Milan are desperate to secure a top four finish, and after a string of three straight losses, also need to restore some pride. Then there is a matter of humanity, as Wednesday was the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia. For some reason, some people confuse discrimination, hate, and religious or personal beliefs, while actually forgetting the definition of tolerance. So here's hoping that this match will restore some faith and humanity all around. Here's hoping for pride.

Both teams are battered and bruised and will be seeking to restore pride.

Inter 1, Milan 0: The Reckoning

The only thing I hate worse in this world than Inter is losing to Inter. For that reason, last week's match was still burning a hole in my soul before this one even kicked off. Particularly since we started that match playing so poorly. Tonight, losing 1-0 to this overrated group of thugs and traitors whose bankrupt owner has maxed out all of his credit and is about to default hurt a little less. Part of the reason was that we played better tonight. Part of it was that it finally put us out of our misery. But I think mostly, it was just a relief to show that this €86 million per year squad truly could not compete with teams that make €132m per year or more. Tonight was The Reckoning.

Two heroes alone do not a Champions League final squad make

Champions League Semifinal • Inter Milan vs. AC Milan: Self-Fulfilling Prophecy

Never have I wanted a fast forward button more for a football match. After conceding two goals in three minutes last week plus having three players injured in that match, I do not look forward to watching the second leg on Tuesday. Even worse that we lost 2-0 to the 18th place team in the league on Saturday. Writing this feels more like predicting my own murder than writing a football preview. Between the injuries and the mentality, it just feels like losing to Inter for a fourth time already in 2023 is a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Can Pioli perform one more miracle? Or is he out of ideas and options?

Spezia 2, Milan 0: Mortally Wounded

Milan traveled to Liguria to face Spezia, a match they should have won, but also had strong potential for the Rossoneri to drop more points in. Tired and preoccupied with a Champions League semifinal they clearly were not up for, Milan not only lost 2-0 to Spezia, but played a terrible game. This result clearly affected their mentality (or was it Wednesday's match that affected their mentality tonight?) What has everyone talking, though is how this result impacts our chances for a top four. Between those two things, this one may have mortally wounded our hopes and dreams for this season.

It was a soul crushing kind of day.

Spezia-Milan Preview: Slipping Away?

True to form, Milan have been struck by the injury plague at the most crucial point of the season. Now we are playing away to Spezia, and Pioli has six injured players and one player suspended with only four league matches left to qualify for a Champions League spot for next year. Then there is the actual semifinal match on Tuesday that will be on the back of everyone's mind. With Milan's poor away record, as well as their recent struggles against teams in the relegation zone, will this match see qualification slipping away?

For Bennacer... don't let his Champions League dreams for next year slip away.

Milan 0, Inter 2: Burning In Our Own Hell

Milan's Curva Sud created an amazing gigantic Diavolo in their end of the stadium, then filled the stadium with colorful flames in their fabulous stadium-wide coreo ahead of this Champions League match. Perhaps that should have been an omen, that we were about to burn our own house down. A reality that was evident within the first 20 minutes of this match, when Milan had already conceded two goals to Inter and lost Bennacer to injury, while Leão had not even been able to make the bench. Add to that the blind-to-all-violence referee and, for those of us in the United States, the Three Stooges of commentary, and it was honestly the worst start to a match in my life. Not only were we down in such a big game, but we were burning in our own hell.

Has Milan's Champions League season gone down in flames?

Podcast: Champions League Semifinal Derby Preview • AC Milan vs. Inter Milan

The last time we met Inter, it was our worst match of the season. Now, we meet in our biggest matches of the season in the Champions League semifinals. To help preview this Derby della Madonnina, and catch up on all things Milan, I had Boaz join me for this podcast. Boaz was actually at one of the semifinal matches 20 years ago vs. Inter, but we had plenty to talk about for this matchup. 

Milan can do anything as a team.

Milan 2, Lazio 0: Feverish Pitch

The early scheduling of this one played an important part in this match, because the weather was unseasonably warm. While all of the players' energy levels were impacted, Lazio seemed particularly lethargic, which did not help their cause against a very motivated Milan team at home. Milan were literally dressed for war in their "split pea soup puke" (military green) kits, and they obliterated Lazio 2-0 in spite of the heat. In fact, they kept Lazio to zero shots on target, and seemingly effortlessly subdued the second-best defense in the league. Meanwhile, true to form this season, the Curva Sud and Milan fans kept things heated in what was quite literally a feverish pitch.

Theo Hernández heated things up with an amazing solo goal

Milan-Lazio Preview: Grounded

Last Saturday, Milan ended up with a 1-1 draw away to the other team from Rome, which was almost forgivable. But on Wednesday, they fell completely flat in another 1-1 draw to 19th place Cremonese. That was not justifiable at all. Now they are facing the high flying Lazio and cannot afford anything less than three points. But at the back of everyone's minds is a big Champions League match on Wednesday, too. It will be crucial for everyone to stay focused and stay grounded.

Just stay grounded.

Milan 1, Cremonese 1: Sucker Punched

This match from start to finish felt like an assault on the senses. Pioli made seven changes to his starting lineup. They almost held their own against the 19th place team, at least in the first half. But 98 minutes, 18 shots with five on target for Milan later, Milan only came up with one point in the 1-1 draw. I could almost excuse that on Saturday, away to Roma. But not at home vs. Cremonese. Then, five minutes before the final whistle, a Cremonese player actually punched Tonali in the face and got sent off. The whole match was just that brutal. Instead of getting a football match, I got sucker punched.

When you get punched in the face and still have to fight for a result.

Milan-Cremonese Preview: Midweek Hurdle

Once again, Milan are hosting a relegation-place team midweek. That means that Pioli will rotate too many players, and we will need more than just hope that the team will pass this test. To be fair, there is a chance that Saturday's 1-1 draw vs. Roma broke the curse, and we will see this team perform their best for these final six matches of the season. But the odds favor the mental struggle we have seen this entire calendar year, sponsored by a perfect storm from top to bottom at the club. Plus, we had a scoreless draw with Cremonese in November, even before the break. Let's just hope we can get past this midweek hurdle.

It's hurdle, not huddle, but feel free to circle up if it helps