AC Milan wrapped up their disappointing season with a 2-0 win over Monza on Saturday, but the game was overshadowed by fan protests against the club ownership and hierarchy both before and during the match.
Matteo Gabbia scored with a second-half header at the San Siro then João Félix converted a free kick as Milan moved up to seventh place.
Earlier, thousands of fans protested outside the club headquarters over Milan failing to qualify for Europe and losing to Bologna in the Italian Cup final.
There were more protests inside the San Siro and chants aimed at Milan’s American owner Gerry Cardinale.
“Cardinale, you have to sell. Get out,” the fans said.
Milan began the season as a potential title contender, but ended up 19 points behind champion Napoli.
Supporters had made their feelings clear from the start of the campaign, unhappy with the selection of Paulo Fonseca as manager, and the Portuguese coach was replaced by compatriot Sérgio Conceição in December.
Milan were eight in the table at the time, and while Conceição won the Super Cup in his first games in charge, there was little improvement in Serie A and they exited the Champions League at the league phase.
Along with RedBird chief Cardinale, club Chairman Paolo Scaroni, CEO Giorgio Furlani, senior advisor Zlatan Ibrahimovic and technical director Geoffrey Moncada were all targets for supporters’ anger in Saturday’s protest.
The fans also called for the return of their hero Paolo Maldini to the club, after the former Milan defender was sacked from his technical director role in 2023, another decision which strained the relationship between supporters and owners.
After they marched to the San Siro, the Curva Sud fans positioned themselves to spell out “Go Home” in a clear message to their American owner, and most left the sector in an organised walkout 15 minutes into the game.
“Among our fans there is disappointment, regret, anger and frustration, these are all feelings that we also feel. Do not think that this is not the case,” club CEO Furlani told DAZN before the game.
“The season ends today and next week we start again.”
Decisions will now be made regarding Conceição’s future at the club, but fans will expect sweeping changes at Milan if they are to see a return to the glory days.
Meanwhile, city rival Inter Milan will play Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final next Saturday, adding further insult to a campaign that fell well short of expectations.
