AC Milan are exploring several options to honour Franco Baresi, who passed away on Friday, with one of them being to rename the Curva Sud stand after him.
The messages and tributes have been pouring in since Friday morning, proving just how much Baresi meant not just to the Milan community, but also the calcio community. The funeral is scheduled for Tuesday and a huge turnout is expected, with many wanting to express their gratitude.
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As highlighted by today’s edition of Gazzetta dello Sport (see photo below), the Milan owner Gerry Cardinale will attend the funeral. The RedBird man was deeply affected by the passing of his honorary vice president and immediately cleared his schedule to be in Milan on Tuesday.
He will be joined by the club president Paolo Scaroni, while Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s attendance hasn’t been confirmed yet. The rest of the management team will be in full attendance, starting with CEO Massimo Calvelli, followed by all the employees of Casa Milan, Milanello, and Vismara.
Representing the team, unable to attend due to their derby in Australia, will be the injured Gimenez and Pulisic. Delegations from all the Rossoneri men’s and women’s teams will also be present: Milan Futuro, Milan Women, and all of the youth teams.
Many of Baresi’s former Milan and national team teammates will also be present. National and international football institutions will be represented, as will Italian and major international clubs. Meanwhile, at Casa Milan, a growing number of fans have brought flowers, a jersey, or a scarf to the memorial. A river of love that continues to flow.
Curva Sud, Milanello or Vismara
Since Friday, Milan have been working on a gesture which will further connect the club to Baresi. The management is currently weighing the options and will make the decision deemed most appropriate, because Baresi is truly a symbol of Milan.
On social media, some have urged to rename Milanello, the training ground where Baresi got his start and trained up until retirement. Another possibility is the Curva Sud stand, where Franco has always been considered the captain of captains.
The current San Siro stand could be named after him, followed by the new stadium, which will be built by 2031. Naming the stand would have great sentimental value and wouldn’t require a bureaucratic process.
Officially, the stand would continue to be called Curva Sud, like Scirea of the Curva Sud in Turin (Juventus) and Pisani of the Curva Nord in Bergamo (Atalanta). The name, however, would still be valuable for Milan fans.
Finally, some have pointed to Vismara, where the youth teams train, so that Baresi’s name can serve as an example for future generations.
Tributes in Perth
Today, representing the team, Ruben Amorim and Matteo Gabbia visited a mural created in 2024 in downtown Perth. It shows a smiling Baresi alongside Ruud Gullit, and a bouquet of flowers was laid by the Milan academy product.
The former captain will also be remembered in Wednesday’s derby, with the Rossoneri wearing black armbands. A minute’s silence will be observed, while images of the number 6 will scroll across the giant screen, and a message in memory of the former number 6 will be displayed on the pitchside LED screens.
Milan, along with the match organisers, are also working on a choreography that will involve part of the stadium. The Milan Club Perth is also active, having planned a banner in memory of the captain.
6 forever
Finally, on social media, more and more people are asking the authorities to allow access to the famous “6 Baresi” flag because it represents positive values. It is currently banned due to the “Doppia Curva” investigation.
♡♡♡ #6 ♡♡♡
A negative and scathing opinion on the subject of
Honoring Franco Baresi is an undeniable moral and historical obligation, but using his symbolism to mask administrative shortcomings is a strategic error. If Milan management doesn’t translate this grief into a “revival of Baresi fighting spirit” on the pitch and in their transfer dealings, the naming of the stands will transform from a tribute into a daily, painful reminder for the fans of the club decline compared to its golden era. The criticism directed at Zlatan Ibrahimovic silence reflects a communication breakdown; a sporting leader should be present on the field and at major events to project the club prestige, not disappear when a firm word is required.
Not just management but fans as well.
It’s the fans who lap up the transfers and who turn on players so quickly that it means that the club will never keep players long enough to build any kind of spirit – fighting or otherwise.
Look at the indifference or active support for the mistreatment of the last captain – Calabria.
Please don’t rename the stand as Curva Baresi or something involving the name of the legend and Curva in the same sentence. I understand it’s completely normal in Italian language, but for 99% of the 280 million slavic population it sounds terrible.
hahaha I was waiting for someone to bring it up.
A legend is forever in the hearts of the club’s faithful, regardless of statues, mural or being named after any part of the club. I’m not against it, but it’s not a necessity.
Maybe from the passing of Legend Baresi, I should stop being a milan fan, probably for some time,until some legends return.