Verona 0, Milan 1: The Grinch Who Stole Milan

If Milan were Whoville, our Christmas has definitely been Grinched. We defeated Verona 1-0 away at the Bentegodi, but it does not feel happy at all. We cannot even enjoy our victories anymore, not even with sublime goals and assists. Because even when we win, if they do not get injured, our players are subjected to the horrific insults, gaslighting, and veiled threats our Grinchy manager makes to them. And this week, we found out that our evil overlord Cardinale refinanced his vendor loan to keep our beloved club under his incompetent tentacles through 2028. And as if that was not already a bad week, Verona fans shouted racist insults to Maignan, too. This does not feel festive at all, it's like the Grinch who stole Milan.

Stink. Stank. Stunk.

Verona-Milan Preview: Rescue Milan

As if things were not bad enough at Milan already, just before Christmas, they are heading to Verona in eighth place on the table. Not only does that mean more press conferences where Fonseca defers all accountability and completely blames his players, it also means we have to listen to him... again. While wishful rumors in the press heat up surrounding the stability of his job and who might replace him, he insists that his job is safe, because it's just those pesky players. Verona have clearly looked at our situation and taken pity on us like animals in need of rescue. Because for this match, they developed an initiative for the players to bring out rescue puppies onto the pitch. I know those puppies all need homes, I just someone would come and rescue Milan.

Theo could use a rescue right now... from Fonseca.

Milan 0, Genoa 0: Party Foul

When Fonseca arrived, I conceded that this management had set him up to fail. But he lost my support with his words and actions by the Lazio match at the end of August. Benching his three captains as a power play was wrong on every level, and has backfired in further loss of respect, as well as Milan losing points. His bizarre outburst after the win vs. Red Star on Wednesday might have given him credibility if it would have worked, but it did not. Milan drew 0-0 to 14th place Genoa. A tragic irony that we could not score a single goal as the Club honored three of its most prolific goal scorers of all time. Not to mention that after his rant about the referee last week after Atalanta, he should not have even been on the bench. The entire match, his entire presence was just one gigantic party foul during Milan's historic 125th Anniversary celebration.

The party crashers.

Milan-Genoa Preview: Celebrating History... Or Something

Sunday, Milan has invited Genoa to the Club's 125th Anniversary party. Milan was founded on December 16th, 1899, so this management has vowed to make as much money as possible by marketing 125 years of Rossoneri history. They created a special kit that is a throwback to the early kits, and they had fans vote between specific elements that they had preselected about a year ago. That kit will be worn by the players for this match. They claim to have created the Milan Hall of Fame, which actually already existed for many years, but this time, they are using marketing to vote players into it by position, which is such a disgusting, asinine, American thing to do. They invited a bunch of former players, but not others. And whatever celebration they have planned will begin an hour before the match and be streamed on the official Milan App. But in this current club environment, I know I don't feel much like a party. So I guess on Sunday, we'll all be celebrating history... or something.

Representing 125 years of history.

AC Milan 2, FK Crvena zvezda 1: Rage Against the Win

Milan fans have suffered a lot of disappointment this season, and been angry when the team lost or dropped points when they should not have. However, despite winning their last four Champions League matches, so many fans have actually been almost more angry about the performance when Milan won the last two. This 2-1 win over Crvena zvezda was perhaps unnecessarily difficult, even Savićević, who played for both teams during his career, pointed out how much stronger this Milan team is than this Red Star team. A subpar performance does not bother me as much as long as we get the result, although it is unfortunate when we also have new injuries. But when the performance was impacted by the poor managing skills of Fonseca, and then he takes zero accountability and he lashes out and blames someone else, then I am not okay with it at all. And this postmatch press conference was his worst ever, leaving fans everywhere to rage against the win.

This should have been a win to celebrate.

Champions League • League Phase • AC Milan vs. FK Crvena zvezda: When Krunić Comes to Town

After the loss on Friday to Atalanta, and with the intensely over-marketed 125th Anniversary celebration happening this Sunday, there is a bizarre mix of failure and corporate hype happening at the club right now. That would make people uneasy going into any match, but especially a Champions League match where there is the weight of history and the mirror of reality mixed in with a little bit of random hope someone found in the corner of the dressing room. That will be the mood when Red Star and Krunić comes to town.

Past, present, and future successes and failures all in one picture

Atalanta 2, Milan 1: December Curse in Bergamo

The result of this match was not really a surprise to those who have been paying attention. After all, the Christmas massacre happened away to Atalanta in 2019, with La Penna the referee. Last December, Milan lost 3-2 at the Gewiss, La Penna was the referee. So in losing 2-1 away to Atalanta on Friday with La Penna as the referee, the only mystery was what the scoreline would be and who would score. Our destiny was predetermined. That De Ketelaere would score the opener was really kind of predictable, too, actually. It was all a part of Milan's December Curse in Bergamo.

I do believe in curses after three losses with the same ref in the same stadium, always in December.

Atalanta-Milan Preview: Save Us, St. Nicholas

Friday, Milan will travel to Bergamo to face Atalanta. Friday also happens to be St. Nicholas Day, which is celebrated in many countries by the giving of gifts. St. Nicholas was known for his generosity, so I am personally calling upon him for help in this one. Ever since the traumatic Christmas Massacre in Bergamo a mere five years ago, Milan has fared well playing away to Atalanta when the match was not played in December. However, last year, Milan suffered a 3-2 loss again to Gasperini's side when played in this month. And as if that wasn't omen enough, the referee for this match is La Penna, the same referee who presided over the 5-0 massacre in 2019. So Milan will need more than luck against La Dea (the Goddess.) That's why I'm pleading to please save us, St. Nicholas.

Save all of us, please, St. Nicholas.

Milan 6, Sassuolo 1: SuperMilan

When you consider that Sassuolo has oft been Milan's Kryptonite team, one wonders if the team wore their lead suits to protect them in the Coppa Italia Round of 16 match or something. Because Sassuolo had almost no effect on Milan at all, allowing the Rossoneri to defeat them like a Superhero takes down a Super villain. With Milan destroying Sassuolo 6-1, they progress to the Coppa Italia Quarterfinals in February, where they will face either Super villains Sampdoria or Roma in a single elimination match. After their Superhero performances in the Derby, against Real Madrid in the Champions League, and then against Empoli on Saturday, it was fun to watch another convincing performance from SuperMilan.

SuperMilan.

Coppa Italia Round of 16 • Milan-Sassuolo Preview: B-ware

Milan host our Kryptonite team, Sassuolo, at the San Siro on Tuesday night in the Coppa Italia Round of 16. While there have been good memories, such as winning the Scudetto with a 3-0 win over Sassuolo in their house just over two years ago, there have also been awful defeats, such as the 3-1 loss to them that same season at the San Siro. And we can never forget Berardi, who has scored 11 goals against Milan in his career, and who specializes in scoring at the Stadio San Siro. Fonseca said lots of the right words to indicate that he is aware of the dangers, but as usual, he is planning to over-rotate. Sassuolo come into this as Serie B leaders, so let's hope that Fonseca knows enough to B-ware

Sassuolo are a team who will sneak up on you and chase you down.

Milan 3, Empoli 0: Thinking Clearly

On a very foggy night in Milano, it seemed that somehow, everyone was finally thinking clearly. Milan finally produced their third convincing performance of the season, and just in time, too, against an Empoli that had been doing very well. The 3-0 win over Empoli was so refreshing, like a beacon of light in the... well, foggy night. Perhaps it was the Serie A weekend dedication to football for all, including Fondazione Milan's Briantea team, a shining light of how inclusion brings purpose and joy to all, not just the players. Or perhaps, it was because Fonseca finally allowed Leão to start a match and play 84 minutes without too much fanfare, and even if he didn't personally score, he was yet again an integral cog in our offense. Perhaps the fog isolated the team from the absurd media and fan criticism, or maybe it just helped so that everyone was simultaneously thinking clearly.

Somehow, everyone saw more clearly in the fog.