Napoli 2, Milan 2: Frustrations

Between the shock firing of a club legend, then the massive €134 million summer spend, a great start to our Serie A campaign, followed by a goal drought and the possibility of going out of the Champions League group stage, emotions of the Milan faithful have been all over the map this past five months. Then the team traveled to Napoli, where the Napoli fans once again did not disappoint, throwing fireworks and objects at traveling fans and the Milan bench. In spite of the tense atmosphere, Milan went up 2-0 with a Giroud brace in the first half, only to concede two goals and drop points in a disappointing 2-2 draw with Napoli. Giroud uncharacteristically lost his temper when subbed, and the pressure of the season added to the chaos in the stadium led to an escalation of frustrations.

Giroud scored a quick brace, but was left disappointed when Napoli equalized.

Napoli-Milan Preview: Cauldron of Hate

The people of Naples and fans of Napoli tell themselves and the world that everyone in Naples are the most wonderful, loving people. But last year, their fans were the source of the most hate, racism, and violence toward Milan players and fans, with no provocation from our fans or players outside of sporting results. Not to mention the havoc they wreaked elsewhere. Their owner, De Laurentiis, when being interviewed about his team winning the Scudetto after 30 years, could not stop talking about how his team were robbed by referees in our Champions League matchups (even though we had beaten them 4-0 in the league as well.) I was already dreading this fixture, when I found out that the heightened security and threat of cancelling our midweek Champions League match this past Wednesday in Paris was... wait for it... because Napoli fans were invited by PSG fans to the match. Whatever with the football, I just hope all of our players and fans survive their trip to the Stadio Diego Maradona, the cauldron of hate.

No Osimhen, no problem for Napoli, except when Kvaratskhelia met Calabria last season.

Paris Saint-Germain FC 3, AC Milan 0: Punished in Paris

Milan finally played a group stage match that was not a goalless draw. Unfortunately, it was also a 3-0 loss to the third place Ligue 1 side Paris Saint-Germain. From a referee who dealt yellow cards like a poker dealer to facing one of the best strikers in the world, you could say that this Milan loss was predictable. But each of Milan's four yellow cards (and the second one he did not give to Tomori) represent errors, which was a running theme for Milan. While Pioli was not wrong in that Milan played well for much of the game, their inability to convert, coupled with those errors, saw Milan punished in Paris.

A family reunion gone badly, at least for Theo.

Champions League Group Stage • Paris Saint-Germain FC-AC Milan: Clash of the Keepers

Milan's trip to Paris on Wednesday highlights one of the most dramatic transfer sagas of the post-Berlusconi era. After years of being financially and emotionally blackmailed by Gigio Donnarumma's former agent, Maldini and Massara quietly signed Lille's goalkeeper, Mike Maignan, in the ultimate gangster sporting director move. Donnarumma infamously went to Paris Saint-Germain, where our old friend former player former scout former coach traitorous former Inter coach former sporting director Leonardo was spending other people's money. Again. Ironically, Maignan had come through PSG's youth sector and began his career there, so it was almost a swap. Given the two club's fortunes since, most Milan fans would likely agree we got the better deal. But on Wednesday, there will be 90 minutes to test that theory on the pitch in this, the Clash of the Keepers.

Maignan goes home to prove himself in a must-win match.

Milan 0, Juventus 1: Growing Pains

A naive error from our 22 year-old center back put us down to ten men for 50 minutes of this match. A veteran player returning from injury gave the ball away and then inadvertently deflected the ball into the net for the singular goal. While these events overtly were the determining factors, one cannot overlook the fact that Milan also had eight players missing due to injury or suspension, several who were sorely missed and could have very much influenced this match. If you must place blame, place it where you will. But Milan losing 1-0 to a relatively feeble Juventus was more a sign of growing pains than anything else.

Even if some players step up to fill gaps, this team is still growing.

Milan-Juventus Preview: This Seems Familiar

Milan are coming back from the international break missing key players to injury or suspension. Of course we are, because we are hosting Juventus on Sunday at the San Siro. In the first of a daunting run of fixtures where we could really use everyone fit. Of course, Juve are not without their own familiar struggles, with a few players injured and players suspended for both doping and illegal betting. All we need is a scandalous referee performance to hand this match to Juventus, and this will be a cookie-cutter Milan-Juve matchup. Because all of this just seems all too familiar.

Hopefully Milan can triumph over adversity and make that the familiar.

The Toxic Italian Media

The media are known to be hypercritical of performances, and definitely too quick to speculate as to which team will win a season or tournament based solely on a transfer or a singlular performance. However, as the income of journalists and their employers has relied more on clicks and views, the hyperbole with which they deliver their sporting opinions has reached more harmful levels. Words from pundits influence fans, who in turn abuse players and one another on social media and sometimes even in person. For some reason, though, the Italian media has become particularly dissonant, often producing critiques of players and teams that are completely out of touch with reality and actually the polar opposite of the rest of the footballing world. As if Serie A did not have enough problems, now they are being further harmed by the toxic Italian media.

Both victims of the toxic Italian media.

Genoa 0, Milan 1: Taking Matters Into Our Own Hands

There were 85 minutes of tense, physical football. Then Milan broke the deadlock with a goal from Pulisic. Another ten minutes, and then chaos rained down at the Marassi. In one of the most unbelievable stoppage times ever, both goalkeepers were sent off, and in some kind of Bizarro world scenario, our very own striker, Giroud played in goal for Milan. But he made a big save, salvaging all three points to see Milan win 1-0 over Genoa and go into the break at the top of the Serie A table. That's what I call taking matters into our own hands.

Our new goalkeeper, Mike Oli Giroud.

Genoa-Milan Preview: Living the Dream

After an unfulfilling trip to Germany in the Champions League midweek, Milan are on the road once again to face Genoa. This is apparently an "anomaly" in the Serie A calendar, we are the only team to play two away matches in three days. Lucky us. After winning promotion back to Serie A this season, former Milan and Genoa striker Gilardino has Il Grifone in 14th place coming into this match, but has produced some excellent results against big teams. Milan need to go into the international break on a win for mentality ahead of difficult fixtures, whereas a result against Milan could confirm Genoa's status as Serie A's giant killer this season. Genoa have no fear and just by virtue of playing in Serie A are living the dream.

Will these two get the start up front on Saturday?

Borussia Dortmund 0, AC Milan 0: Can't Buy A Goal

Milan come home from Germany empty-handed after a tense 0-0 draw with Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League. Granted, they have two clean sheets in their two matches thus far in the Group Stage, but they also have been unable to score against either Newcastle or now Dortmund. By virtue of not conceding, Milan are in third place in the group, with two points, but this is the Group of Death. Teams need to score and win to advance. Despite investing €134 million this summer, primarily in attacking players, it seems that Milan can't buy a goal.

Theo double checking that there are no goals in the back of that net...

Champions League Group Stage • Borussia Dortmund-AC Milan: Die Gelbe Wand

Wednesday marks day two in Milan's Champions League group stage run, which sees them travel to Germany to face Borussia Dortmund. Some clubs are known for their achievements on the pitch, such as Milan's seven Champions League trophies or 19 Scudetti. But Dortmund have only won a single Champions League trophy, and have only won either the German League/Bundesliga a combined eight times, although they have come in second eleven times. Such as last season, when they choked and lost the title on the final day of competition. No, Borussia Dortmund, or BVB, are most known for their very large curva in their Westfalenstadion, now called Signal Iduna Park. The massive 25,000 seat stand is known as Die Gelbe Wand, or "The Yellow Wall," named for both the size, slope, and team colors worn in Die Südtribüne. Opponents and even players and coaches often say they don't fear the players or match itself, what really frightens them is Die Gelbe Wand.

It's probably not going to be like that for him if he scores this time...

Milan 2, Lazio 0: Statement Win

Some wins are important, some feel good. This one was both. Milan came into this match in second place in Serie A, tied with Inter on points after six matches. But to hear the Italian media speak about Milan, Pioli, and especially Rafa Leão, you would think we were Mourinho's Roma or something. Then there is the upcoming difficult stretch of fixtures that sees us play Dortmund, an in-form Genoa, Juventus, PSG, and Napoli this month, with an International break in between. This 2-0 win over Lazio was so needed, and having the goals come from the new guys, with the assists both coming from Rafa Leão could not have been more perfect, either. This wasn't just another three points and a clean sheet to boost confidence. This was a statement win.

This statement may have been "Happy Birthday" to Giroud on his 37th birthday.