Regardless of how last night ended against Atalanta, the current historical moment surrounding this Milan side is undeniable to everyone. We are faced with a situation in which trust has been completely wiped out towards the ownership and management, where there is no trace of genuine passion coming from those who are supposed to be the driving force of this cycle. If we look at what’s happening at Inter, all one can do is observe and hope that, one day, more than a few people take note and follow the example.
The sporting results of the team coached by Simone Inzaghi are a faithful reflection of an environment that is unified, cohesive, and has reached the Champions League semi-finals twice in the last three years. This is no coincidence—it’s the result of serious planning, a solid chain of command, no gossip, and a great deal of substance, where Ausilio isn’t trying to oust Marotta, just as Baccin isn’t trying to oust Ausilio. Surely, even over there, there must be differences of opinion, but they are kept under wraps thanks to a skilled communication strategy that shields Inter from the cold northern winds that so often blow over planet Milan.
Just think of how Inter smoothly transitioned from Zhang to Oaktree, while over here at Milan, there are always whispers about the RedBird-Elliott duopoly—formally non-existent, yet still present, given that the Singer fund is a creditor to Gerry Cardinale.
Doesn’t anyone ask why Milan is constantly at the mercy of the media, while Inter is not?
Here at Milan, no one is safe, no one is shielded, no one enjoys immunity—even those who think they do. Not a single Rossoneri executive, as of today, enjoys the trust of the fans. From Scaroni—who’s been making communication blunders for years both on the sporting side and the stadium issue—to Furlani and Ibrahimović, no one has a positive approval rating. The overwhelming feeling is that between New York and Casa Milan, there exists a sort of parallel reality where anything outside the masterplan doesn’t exist and doesn’t elicit any reaction. And this is exactly what further drains the passion of the fans, as relayed.
There’s no point in puffing out our chests about the 18,000 foreign spectators announced for last night’s match, because those aren’t the numbers we should be celebrating. On the contrary, we should be concerned when San Siro is full yet feels cold and grey—where not even the most iconic chants from the Curva Sud can lift the atmosphere like they used to.
What Milan lacks is an obsession with winning, that hunger which must come from the top and trickle down to the players. The club now operates in isolated compartments, with a cold soul and an icy heart. Championships of sustainability and balanced budgets don’t go in the trophy cabinet. Cardinale is kept at a distance from Milan, the model implemented so far has been a failure and has led to the current position in the league table.
The search for a new sporting director is so crucial that only someone completely blind to reality wouldn’t understand it. Waiting for a sporting director who is currently under contract until the end of May could be a huge risk—especially if there’s no certainty that he will be released. The hope is not to fall back into a lower footballing class from which we had slowly clawed our way out after the Banter Era. Because this is Milan—not, with all due respect, 1860 Munich in terms of stature. Missing out on next season’s Champions League would be a financial bloodbath, where the club would have to be smart in raising funds through loans without selling key players. But without a competitive organization, the team will not be competitive either.
