It was a surreal and eerie atmosphere at San Siro last night during the game against Lazio, a defeat that adds fuel to an already hostile situation.
The defeat against Lazio means yet another nightmare night for Milan, overwhelmed not only by the result but also by the impatience of their fans. In truth, though, the air at San Siro was already tense before a ball had been kicked.
The reading of the starting line-up by the stadium announcer received no response from the fans, while the banners were hung upside down, a strong signal of protest against the team and the club.
The beating heart of the fanbase – the Curva Sud – went on a silent strike: until the 15th minute of the first half, the central part of the Secondo Anello Blu remained deserted. Only then did the ultras take their seats, but not to support the team, but rather to chant in protest.
Performance fuels negativity
If the atmosphere was already tense in the stands, the situation on the pitch was no better. Already in the first six minutes of play, after two chances for Lazio, the rest of the stadium began to boo every back pass, every mistake and every bit of indecision.
The atmospheric pressure had a clear impact on the team, who showed a real lack of conviction at both ends and appeared to be running with heavy legs. This was while Lazio – who had the pressure of trying to get back into fourth spot – played with clarity and fluidity.
Rafael Leao also had a heated confrontation with a fan in the stands who clearly directed some criticism at him, a sign that everyone is on edge at the moment but also that even the stars of the team are feeling the heat.
After the game, Sergio Conceicao admitted that in his eyes the squad are suffering from the effects of everything around them being so negative, as he revealed in his interview with DAZN.
“We always talk about the same thing. We prepared the match in a very short time, we talked about this atmosphere and it was strange: first time it’s happened to me in my career. The players feel it: I was a player and we know that when it’s like this the boots are hot.
“It’s not easy: when a dribble, a pass and the opponent scores a goal… The team showed great character when they were left with ten men, we could have even won. In the end this penalty happened.”
Theo in the crosshairs
The protest did not spare anyone, not even the supposed ‘leaders’. Theo Hernandez – who against Lazio reached 250 appearances for the club – was jeered even when the line-ups were read and then during the match.
The Frenchman appeared unrecognisable, the protagonist of glaring defensive errors. The most emblematic episode was the red card received by Strahinja Pavlovic, caused by his defensive indecision that paved the way for Isaksen.
The full-back’s contract expires in 2026, but the lack of negotiations for the renewal and the drop in performance suggest an imminent farewell. However, he is not the only culprit of what is a negative moment.
Conceiçao’s team, net of the Supercoppa Italiana they won in January, have shown no signs of growth and now seems devoid of identity. The last time the Rossoneri had experienced a similar crisis was January-February 2023, when Lazio had begun a dark period under Stefano Pioli’s management.
Today, history repeats itself, with a Milan in free fall, a disillusioned fan base and an increasingly uncertain future. San Siro quickly emptied at the final whistle, perhaps with the same speed with which the team should have played.
Aiming at the top
The figure that was the subject of the most frequent and vocal protests was Gerry Cardinale. The fans have been constantly and unequivocally chanting the American: “Cardinale, you have to sell, sell, go away!”
It is clear that the Rossoneri fans were mainly concentrated at the top of the hierarchy before they then cascaded down to all the other roles, including management, the coach and the players. The chants against Cardinale, though, went on for almost the entire game.
The Curva Sud also seemed to point back to the firing of Paolo Maldini two seasons ago, as a banner displayed read ‘Milan for the Milan fans’. Although it is difficult to imagine a return of Maldini under the current ownership, his name continues to be used to indicate the beginning of the collapse.
Well they will definitely sell – but players. If they sell Kalulu for 14 millions, plus removing some deadwoods, they will decrease cost side on sheet, and then only a few or 1 big sale like Hernandez is OK for them to again have balance on even keel.
And this is the point of their existence. Even with bad result they have profitable club.
Next season will be even worse. Where crucial goal for Red Bird will be 4th spot.
Because they will be running off the assets- players.
Well, I wouldn’t bet on it. You know what Cardinale loves? Money. Do you know what he’ll lose if Milan lose? Money.
If (big if…) he understand anything, he understands money. Milan’s value has dropped significantly this season. Three of the so-called best players has has their value gone down almost 100M€ in a single year. Cardinale surely isn’t happy about it. His investment isn’t doing as he wanted it to. He will have to react. He will react. He won’t accept the decline. He can be certain of that.
How will he react? Who knows. Common sense says they need to hire a COMPETENT Sporting Director ASAP so he can organize things and start preparing the revolution that is needed. If the SD won’t be given enough power then Moncada & Zlatan need to go too. They are in the way of improvement.
*”He can be certain of that.” = We can be certain of that.
They are doing huge business.
Milan was on ground floor with Chinese owners. These Americans figure it out. So they did everything in terms of commercial side that Chinese couldn’t. Milan had 200 in revenues. They have now 300 without champions league.
They lost only once champions league and that is now.
Currently Milan squad value more than 650 million with players sent on loan. That’s huge value and only Felix is loaned.
So they have enough space for player sales and increase value.
And that’s how you do the business. That’s why they don’t care about result. I bet they will not lose a lot of money because they will push players to go.
Less cost more revenue from player sales and again your sheet is in positive balance .
And that is profitable business. They understand that 85 million they will again when club come back in champions league and that should be more easier goal for team next year.
This is pointless for us because we want result. But for now as I can see Red Bird own profitable club.
The only ones making real business are Elliott. They did with Li and now they are doing it with Red Bird
@Putuco,
Yes you understand. But if primarily goal for Red Bird is to sell ac milan, and if they do it for more than 2 billions, they will also gain huge money.
But these guys have money. They now own Milan. Milan is profitable club. When you have profitable club you have everything.
Cardinale take paycheck and owns the club that is profitable either be securing champions league or by selling players. Either way it is good business.
Back in the day we had players like Pirlo and Bonaventura etc crying when they left Milan.. Theo and Leao will probably link arms and skip out the gates…
They’ll probably start arguing with fans.
Like how Paolo did when he retired?
How will they ever qualify for CL when they keep buying these washed up players for cheap? That’s not good enough to make it to top 4. Not this season and the following seasons. They have no idea, 0, on how to build a club. At least. With previous owners they focused on young talents for cheap and developed them.
Interesting to hear the excuses as to why a takeover won’t happen due to obstacles how Italian clubs lose billions a year FFP uefa golden rules ect.
As for the protest from my own point of view MUST DO BETTER every fan both in Italy and abroad must double down on the owners no good just a few getting involved every now and again.
#Get Elliot / Redbird out.
It’s now crystal clear that if Milan really want to progress, after Cardinale and his entire management are gone, players like Emerson Royal, Theo,Leao,Chukwueze,Tomori and Jovic must as well leave.
Theo,Leao,Chukwueze,Tomori, milan will regret it if they sell any of the mentioned players. Because they will do well in any team
،💯👍💯👍💯👍
So we had a direct head to head clash with a team aiming for top 4. With a win we could have brought ourselves back in the conversation. So what do curva/fans do? Protest and boo? Incredible really.
Btw I don’t even think the owner need to sell but he needs to rethink what he’s doing and most importantly…be humble, sit down..
I don’t like this Garry guy. His incompetence is bringing the club down.
Hopefully he loses and got kicked out. A worst case is somehow he still makes money, although I couldn’t wrap my mind around it.
If pioli was sacked; if fonseca was sacked; if concencaio is sacked in the next few days/weeks — can anyone explain why scarecrow ineffectual scaroni; arrogant big nose ibra; dirty looking, sloppy, unshaven,dwarfish furlani; and useless idiot moncada ARE NOT KICKED IN THE BUTT AND SACKED TOO???
But then cardinale is another stupid clown ….. that is why he chose these spineless fools.
Maldini back…
This, we want the goat!
Milan’s major problem is at the defence they concede silly goals in a game they would put in the pocket . The manager must find a solid backline and in a game of points when goals leak the Frontline freezes .
the defense is improved from last season in terms of goals allowed. On pace to give up 42 goals compared to 49 last campaign. Goals scored is on pace for 54 goals compared with 76 last season…Giroud is gone…fofana has played instead of musah/adli. Walker/Emerson instead of Florenzi/calabria. RLC has been out, but i’m not sure that hurts the team. Otherwise its roughly the same 11.
Juventus got booed as well and now they’re 6 points away from top spot.
All the Milan players are just mentally weak if they can’t take people booing about the management.
But the Fans are also to blame for not supporting the guys on the pitch.
Go boo and protest Cardinale outside the stadium, at Casa Milan or something, don’t do it during a match, AT the player, when points are on the line.
With the attitude some players have showed, they deserve the boos. And the boos go away once you give your all to the shirt. And if you don’t know what it means, look at Pavlovic and copy him. Every club has fans that boo to players who aren’t interested in helping the team out.
Curva Sud and their pointless protests. Where were they when Maldini was fired? When Tonali was sold? Anyone with a brain knew we were headed for this path, and could’ve been avoided much earlier. It is true, Cardinale must sell. Embarrassing all around.
Yet, we were unhappy with Pioli and sacked him for 2nd place… it was not good enough! Well, this is what we got.