Bologna 2, Milan 1: Where Hope Goes to Die

When Milan's management finally changed managers, I had hoped that it would not be too late to turn the season around. But then they also further destabilized the squad when they changed five players in and out. And while we got some quality players in the deal, they publicly expelled our captain in the worst of ways, which is just bad Karma. Now that Milan have finally played their game in hand and lost 2-1 to Bologna, the chances of us qualifying for the Champions League next year have dropped significantly. Since January, we went from Supercoppa winners and top four hopefuls to a place where hope goes to die.

The "Futile Four." Not just killing the hopes and dreams of Milanisti, actually killing football.

Bologna-Milan Preview: The One That Got Away

Thursday's match vs. Bologna was originally scheduled for the weekend of October 27th. However, there was heavy flooding in Bologna that week, and despite many different efforts to play the match without fans, in a neutral venue, etc., a political move by Bologna's mayor saw it postponed after all. And personally, I know that people lost lives as well as property in those floods, so I was okay with postponing the match, even if other events went ahead in Bologna that same day we were scheduled to play. Although it did affect suspensions that impacted our match with Napoli instead, which we lost. However, now our captain was pushed out and is playing for the enemy, which makes this one even more intriguing. All the way around, this will be the one that got away.

I wish him well... just not on this occasion.

Torino 2, Milan 1: Dysregulated Football

Much is being said about Milan's inconsistencies and big, costly errors lately. While I have my own theories as to the root causes, which are echoed by many,  the team itself is playing a form of dysregulated football. Most of the time, dysregulation is used to describe emotions, such as when someone is unable to control their emotions, or their emotions do not correspond with what is going on around them. Fans and media look at the team sheets and expect miracles, but they fail to see the big picture and try to understand what is happening behind the scenes at the club. Then the media write all kinds of toxic, malicious stories that make the situation worse, which inhibits the work being done trying to regulate the team and get them playing consistently against all odds. So, instead, Milan are playing a form of dysregulated football.

How can they explain what they don't understand about the effects of what is being done to them?

Torino-Milan Preview: Regroup

Milan's schedule just lightened up a little bit, there will be far fewer weeks of playing every three days now that they have exited the Champions League for the season. Last season, we dropped down into the Europa League Playoffs after our early Champions League exit, but with the changes in format this season, we just become more like Napoli... playing once a week. With all the chaos this management continues to throw at this team, slowing the calendar down should help with both fewer injuries and better results. It will also be the first time Conceição will have more than a day or two consecutively to properly train with the squad. So, while this match comes only four days after our fateful match with Feyenoord, hopefully it is our first step to regroup.

The team need to regroup and refocus on Serie A.

AC Milan 1, Feyenoord 1: Too Little, Too Late

AC Milan have completed their Champions League performances for this season. After an unlucky 1-0 loss in Rotterdam last week, not even an early goal could rescue Milan's fate. A 1-1 draw with Feyenoord at the San Siro saw the Dutch club progress to the knockout rounds with a 2-1 aggregate score from both legs. And Milan were sent crashing out before the Round of 16 for the second year in a row. This should not surprise, as this management have taken the Milan DNA out of this team. But every time it seems that maybe they are learning from their mistakes, it becomes painfully clear that it is too little, too late.

One goal was just not enough.

Champions League Playoffs • AC Milan vs. Feyenoord Rotterdam: All on the Line

After a disappointing 1-0 loss in the rain in Rotterdam last week, Milan have 90 minutes to turn it around and go through to the Champions League Round of 16. One massive advantage is that the team will finally have their fans behind them, with at least 60,000 fans expected at the San Siro. Both teams just played on Saturday, with Milan winning 1-0 over Verona and Feyenoord playing to a goalless draw. But this match is literally worth another €11 million for the team that moves on, while the other team is out of the Champions League for the season. So it is quite literally all on the line.

It's not the team in the spotlight, it's the fans this time.

Milan 1, Verona 0: That Perfect Moment

In an unnecessarily tedious match that was filled with yellow cards (and yet somehow still not nearly enough yellow cards,) it only took one goal to decide it all. A beautiful moment in what seemed like an ugly battle between a team desperate for points and a team desperate to get out of those hideous fourth kits. Gimenez was the hero in Milan's 1-0 win over Verona, but the goal was beautiful from start to finish, and worth sitting through the other 90 laborious minutes. It was that perfect moment.

When you've created the perfect moment.

Milan-Verona Preview: My Worst Nightmare

Saturday, Milan host Hellas Verona at the San Siro. Not only is there a sporting history between the two teams, Verona's fans have cemented a legacy for themselves of racism and hate that few other Serie A clubs can top. This alone would be a nightmare, but now Milan have chosen to make this fixture even more nightmarish by releasing a first kit that is visually terrifying. Their campaign is called "Welcome to Dreamland," which, for marketing purposes, they've linked to Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech and America's Black History Month. So they're trying to capitalize on something Italians have little to no cultural understanding of or ties to, and they are intentionally wearing them in front of some of the most racist fans in Italy. And the kits are particularly expensive, too. As if they weren't already in contention for the ugliest kits in Milan's history visually, they're also trying to profit from a man who gave his life trying to heal injustice. This is absolutely my worst nightmare.

My nightmares look better than this.

Feyenoord Rotterdam 1, AC Milan 0: Bad Day at the Office

A midweek Champions League match away in Rotterdam was always going to be difficult. Especially when it was the 12th match in less than six weeks. But this match was never going to be a boring draw, either. Both clubs are going through some things, so things like the weather, home field advantage, and the support of fans would be amplified. (Not to mention the hideous and unlucky kits.) The ability to play with intensity and focus would be crucial, and any errors could be costly. Unfortunately, an early and unusual error for Milan proved costly, and it was a bad day at the office.

Bad day at the office.

Champions League Playoffs • Feyenoord Rotterdam vs. AC Milan: Symbiotic

I cannot recall a more symbiotic relationship between a Champions League opponent than we have with Feyenoord going into this playoff round. Obviously, the fact that we were in final negotiations with them for Santiago Gimenez at the time of the draw was a rather blatant sign. Call it fate, destiny, or Karma, but it was not the only shared experience. Milan have just changed our first team manager, and are desperately seeking to change our Milan Futuro manager. While Feyenoord actually sacked their manager just two days ahead of our match with them, and have appointed their youth team manager as their interim manager for this match. There is more, too. The correlations between the two clubs that are not directly causal seem almost related, they are so uncanny, making it seem like Feyenoord and Milan are almost symbiotic.

Santi showing his true colors before returning home.

Podcast • Epic Celebration Anniversary Edition

A lot can happen in 14 years. Since the Milan Obsession blog was founded 14 years ago, Milan have changed owners three times, had eleven different managers, won two Scudetti and two Supercoppa trophies. I've seen a lot. This podcast is now 12 years old, and even though I am not able to record regularly, I had to make sure I marked this momentous occasion by bringing on a new guest who was worthy of such a massive milestone. So luckily, Christina was kind enough to join me to talk about her Milan origin story, the January transfers, recent matches, Conceição and more.

Conceição celebrating the anniversary of Milan Obsession

Empoli 0, Milan 2: Roadkill

Football isn't always pretty. Especially in poor weather on a poor pitch with an atrocious referee. Or playing away against a relegation-threatened team that has nothing to lose. Despite all these negatives, however, Milan killed the game off, even on ten men. With a referee and VAR referees who tried to steal the show and change the narrative, Conceição was able to unleash all of his weapons and still get the 2-0 win over Empoli. A lethal show of force. Roadkill.

Leaving other teams (and referee teams) for dead.

Empoli-Milan Preview: Rite of Passage

After tearing apart our Scudetto-winning team and "rebuilding" by sending all of the players on loan to rival clubs for free or very little, while spending big to bring in players with a much lower overall resale value, management finally tried to at least bring in quality players in January. The result was a win vs. Roma on Wednesday in the Coppa Italia. But now, Milan face an even bigger test: an away match to a relegation-threatened side. Will the old Milan that struggles in these matches show up in Tuscany? Or will the new players help usher in a new era of confidence? Either way, this match should prove to be a rite of passage.

Time for everyone to step up and change our fortunes.

Milan 3, Roma 1: The Fall of Roma

Roma are out of the Coppa Italia, and Milan are through to the semifinals. In a cruel twist of fate, it was a Roma-owned player who scored a brace to put Milan in front. And Milan's marquee transfer window signings, on their debuts, who connected to seal Roma's fate in Milan's 3-1 win at San Siro. Roma did not lie down and take it quietly, they fought like gladiators for their Coppa lives. But the fans at San Siro actually supported their team for once, and provided Milan with the edge they needed to defend against the incessant attacks. And the world witnessed the fall of Roma.

Roma's downfall caused by their own player.

Coppa Italia Quarterfinal • Milan-Roma Preview: Meet and Greet

After an intense January transfer market that saw so many changes in the squad in the final week, Milan are hosting a midweek meet and greet at the San Siro for all the players to get to know one another better. And they've invited Roma, as well, under the guise of a Coppa Italia Quarterfinal match. While we won't see all our new players in our starting lineup, there will still be significant changes to the roster from the team that defeated Sassuolo 6-1 to get here, let alone the team that played on Sunday. With five players having left and five new players coming in, all in less than ten days, the surnames on the backs of the jerseys may not be enough – Conceição may need to pick up some nametags for the front of the jerseys, too. Sure, this is meant to be a football match, but it may feel more like a meet and greet.

Plenty of new faces in training.

Milan 1, Inter 1: Weathering the Storm

The Derby della Madonnina always has a fiery atmosphere, but the ambience for this one began long before Sunday. A tough loss in the Champions League midweek and some desperation ahead of the closing of the transfer window, as well as whatever else was going on mentally and emotionally behind the scenes turned into a giant emotional storm for Milan. But even missing important players to injury/suspension/transfers, Conceição prepared this team to beat the odds. Conceding an unfortunate stoppage time led to the 1-1 draw with Inter. But for once, fortune favored Milan overall, and they salvaged a point by weathering the storm.

The emotions of the Derby.

Milan vs. Inter: Year of the Snake

Wednesday was the Lunar New Year, and this year is the Year of the Snake. No wonder, then, that Milan had such a rough time vs. Dinamo Zagreb, while Inter made easy work of Monaco at the San Siro. Sure, Milan won their home Derby 2-1 in September. Then we snaked their Supercoppa from them with a 3-2 victory over Inter in Saudi Arabia last month. But whether it is just our incompetent management and their tragic transfer moves, the toxic Italian media (much of which is owned by Interisti, by the way,) or there is actually something to this whole Lunar New Year thing, Milan fans are not feeling confident going into this one. Perhaps we're all just picturing our greasy-haired owner and his horrible minions, but it kind of feels like the Year of the Snake.

The real snakes.