Milan-Lazio Preview: Preparing for Battle

Milan host Lazio at the San Siro on Saturday for the evening match. While Lazio come into this match in 12th place, they seem to have found their form just ahead of our clash. Without Milinković-Savić, whom Lotito finally sold this summer, Lazio have not been the same team that finished second in Serie A last season. However, they also did not make nearly as many changes as Milan, so this will absolutely not be a guaranteed win for the Rossoneri. After fighting back from a brutal Derby loss and even more brutal ravaging from the Italian media, this match is just the first in a series of difficult matches for Milan. Not just one battle, but an all-out war that will test this team with fire for the next month. For today, though, Pioli will be focused on Lazio, preparing for battle.

The troops are ready.

Cagliari 1, Milan 3: Viability

Milan traveled to Cagliari and came back with all three points. Despite conceding first, Milan capitalized on a goalkeeping error and then outscored the hosts 3-1 in a match that was still at times worrisome. Pioli rested two of his best players, and was missing four other starters due to injury. So, although this was just 19th place Cagliari, who are still looking for their first league win this season, having two more new players open their scoring for Milan was certainly positive. Particularly given the congested and difficult fixtures we have ahead of us, this match went a long way for the players to prove to themselves their viability.

Proving their viability.

Cagliari-Milan Preview: Mixing It Up Midweek

On Wednesday, Pioli is reported to make even more changes to his starting lineup. Whether it is out of actual caution, due to the sheer number of games we have been playing, or out of consequence, given the sheer number of muscle injuries we have already faced this season, it is difficult to say. Making changes is a bit ironic, given that he is facing Claudio Ranieri, known as the Tinkerman, a nickname given him for his propensity in the past to rotate his squad too much. However, no matter the reason, Pioli is likely to make changes when Milan travel to face 19th place Cagliari, so he should be mixing it up midweek.

Pioli may rotate the winning combination in order to prevent more injuries.

Milan 1, Verona 0: After the Storm

This match very nearly did not happen. After heavy rain and hail, the San Siro pitch was waterlogged, and the pitch did not pass inspection at the 3pm kickoff time. However, Marchetti, the referee, wisely delayed kickoff time 25 minutes, and by then, the water had drained enough that the surface was playable. Much like the storm of criticism Milan, Pioli, and Rafa Leão specifically faced this week, even a 1-0 win over Verona and all three points were like sunlight viewed through water droplets. No, I don't just mean the colorful third kits the team wore. I mean like the unicorns-and-rainbows level of happiness after something really tough, or at least the rainbow after the storm.

Like a rainbow... if a rainbow could score goals like Rafa Leão.

Milan-Verona Preview: A Little Respect

After a week of vicious, brutal, and toxic commentary from the Italian media and fans on social media, Milan hope to gain some respect again when they host Hellas Verona at the San Siro. But even if the team are able to get back to winning ways on the pitch, the Club have set up a much needed, yet potentially controversial scenario as they have scheduled to debut the new third kits, particularly in front of the Verona fans. These are not just football kits, they are meant to be "a symbol of inclusion, celebrating the power of diversity." This is a bold and refreshing move, something I am very proud our club is doing, even if it is for marketing purposes. It is long overdue that we give all people – players, fans, everyone – a little respect.

Respect.

AC Milan 0, Newcastle United FC 0: Cause for Concern

Milan opened our Champions League Group Stage by taking 25 shots this evening and converted not even one of them, leaving San Siro with only a point. And while the lack of goals could also be credited in part to Newcastle's goalkeeper, Nick Pope, who made a massive eight saves, the 0-0 draw was a disappointment for Milan. Every point will be needed to qualify for the knockout round from this "Group of Death." However, the true cause for concern was the potential new injuries to Loftus-Cheek and especially Maignan. According to Pioli, the midfielder reportedly only had cramping, while Maignan was seen leaving San Siro walking gingerly due to pain in a muscle in his left thigh. This, after losing backup to our backup center back, Caldara, for three months due to ankle surgery this week. It feels like our injury fortunes are already starting to repeat themselves, which is cause for concern.

The score was disappointing, but the injuries are the real cause for concern.

Champions League Group Stage • AC Milan-Newcastle United FC: Remorse

Every reporter, pundit, podcaster, and more will be talking about Tonali for this matchup. Normally, I would avoid such an overhyped narrative, but let's be fair – as Milan fans, Tonali is still in our hearts and minds ahead of this game. Seeing him back at the San Siro but wearing different colors will be difficult, and he is a warrior, he will not hold back, either. Meanwhile, his former position in Milan's squad is like an open wound. Even for those who have emotionally healed from his exit, we are a long way from healing tactically from his loss. While Newcastle fans are learning to be fans of an elite club with their return to the Champions League, the big question is... which team benefits most from his move? Will his presence be enough to give Newcastle an important away win and make Milan regret their choice? Or will Milan demonstrate that their Champions League DNA can overcome a team that was purchased by Saudi Arabia for the sake of sportswashing, with limitless funding? At the end of this match, more than likely, at least one of Tonali's teams will have remorse.

The hope is for Milan to have no remorse after this one.

Inter 5, Milan 1: The €134 million Loss

With a record 5-1 loss to Inter and a record fifth Derby loss in a single calendar year, everyone immediately looks for someone to blame. Pioli was a common denominator in all five losses, so that is an obtuse conclusion. However, while victim blaming is in vogue these days, the answer is actually much simpler than that: this management made far too many changes this summer, and this team were neither built nor prepared to win this match. With 17 players leaving and ten new players coming in, it was a very unbalanced transfer spend of €134 million in all. Pioli did all he could to manage the losses, but has said from day one that the loss of Tonali was a massive technical loss and this team would need time. He changed his whole system to attempt to accommodate what this management's ideas were for this squad, but it clearly was not enough. None of the new players imposed themselves in this match, none of them were worthy reinforcements. At the end of the day, if your pain still affords you the ability to look for blame, you can call this one the €134 million loss.

The heavens wept for Milan fans everywhere, who had to endure this €134m loss.

Inter vs Milan Preview: An All Out Attack

This Derby will be he fifth time this calendar year that we face our filthy reptilian cousins, Inter. The first four times did not go well, with our league matchup in February being perhaps the worst Milan game of Pioli's tenure. (Although Milan did win the Derby at this time last season.) Fast forward through one bizarre mercato and a Milan owner that seems to be going through a mental health crisis, and Milan's team looks completely different. Having invested heavily in attacking players and missing two important defenders for this one, it will be important for Milan to stage an all out attack to have any hope of coming away from this one with all three points.

A chance for Inter to meet the new look Milan.

The Delusion of Inter's Campaign for a Second Star

Inter and Milan are in a race to see who can earn their second star first. Whichever team reaches twenty Scudetti first can wear a second star above their crest on their shirts. On paper, both teams have 19 league titles, but it is very important to note that it is only on paper that this is true. The Scudetto that Inter claim as their 14th was actually assigned them by the courts – their own courts – as a result of the shambolic Calciopoli investigation, and is thus widely referred to as the "paper Scudetto." Juventus actually won the league that season on the pitch, with Milan coming in second, and Inter only placed third, despite having actually interfered most with the referees. Inter simply hid all of the evidence of their involvement and then orchestrated the investigation to their benefit. In fact, their subsequent four titles were also won because of the advantages gained by this horrific manipulation of justice. So, even if Inter were to win the Scudetto this season, the delusion of them having 20 titles negates them having a legitimate second star.

What many consider an "even" battle for the 2nd star, but is it honest?

Milan's Revolutionary Summer Transfer Window

Much is being spoken of the transformation to Milan's first team this summer, especially after starting the season with three straight wins. First, there were drastic changes to the sporting sector, then an incredible 17 players leaving the first team. Then Milan invested approximately €125 million in ten new players, including those who arrived on free transfers. There was even a last minute push that saw three more players leave and one more player signed in the final 24 hours of the transfer window. When the dust settled, it was clear that this was a revolutionary summer transfer window.

Dynamic changes.

Racism and Hate in Cardinale's Milan

AC Milan has long been on the forefront of the battle against racism. They were one of the first teams in Italy to walk off the pitch because of the racial abuse of their players ten years ago. The club has also had their own anti-racism initiatives beyond Serie A, UEFA, or FIFA's initiatives. They were also the first to sign and promote the manifesto against online abuse, "Parole Ostile." This was an extension of their #RespACT campaign, which urges action for equity, diversity, and inclusivity. Launched in 2020, Milan's social media used that hashtag to bring awareness about racism and to speak out when players anywhere from any club received racial abuse. But that was all before Cardinale. Given his behavior, in particular since he abruptly removed the most Milan person from the organization, it was sadly not quite as shocking to learn that some of our fans racially abused Lukaku on Friday. All racism is absolutely horrific and unacceptable. Of course, the FIGC is more concerned with another incident involving Milan that evening, but that is even less shocking. The Club's statement also lacked responsibility, and emphasized a quickly growing trend of racism and hate in Cardinale's Milan.

If you abuse one based on race, you abuse them all.

Roma 1, Milan 2: Winning with a Capital W

Some wins are just another three points, but this one was important. Not only did Milan continue their perfect start at the sold out and hostile Stadio Olimpico, but they held on to a lead that became tenuous once Tomori was sent off and Mourinho made his subs. That did not happen in January, even when Milan still had all 11 men on the pitch, a game that Milan gave up a 2-0 lead to draw 2-2, the game where it all went wrong. Tonight, even with a bit of help from VAR and while killing those sublime away kits again, Milan managed to fend off a late attack from the Wolves for a 2-1 in Rome. And that is what I call winning with a capital W.

Winning in the capital.