Milan Obsession

This post may turn up in searches for non-football related activities, and for that I apologize. But I couldn’t think of a better title for it after such a roller coaster season. We bought 12 new players, downgraded our coach, played weird formations, had problems scoring goals, and so much more. But today, we are all smiles. And after all, who doesn’t like a happy ending?

Either they forgot where they parked or they just realized how much depends on this match

Despite a turbulent season where 12 new players came in and we downgraded our coach with surprising results, going into our last match, Milan are in the same spot we were last season. Only with this match, we have the possibility of actually finishing lower. Having massively choked in the Coppa Italia and then given up a late goal to Atalanta last week to drop more points, we have 90 minutes to prove ourselves worthy of sixth place. It all comes down to this.

When Bonucci came to Milan, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. When he was given the captain’s armband, I was just grateful he was rescuing us from Montolivo. Anyone had to be better than him. But as events unfolded this year, I can honestly say that I think in addition to all that he has given to Milan, Milan has been good to him, given him more integrity. In contrast to his former Juventus captain, it seems that he got out just in time and has been blessed with Milan class.

t wasn’t just pouring rain from the sky today in Bergamo, there was also a deluge of cards. Twelve cards, to be exact, ten yellow and two red. The most in any Serie A match this season. The two forms of heavy precipitation were probably related, as players were slipping and sliding into each other for 90 minutes plus stoppage time. But conceding an equalizer in stoppage time, Milan only took a point out of the match, leaving our Europa League qualifying hanging until the final matchday next week.

Milan have two chances for direct qualification into the Europa League, and Sunday’s is the next to the last one. Rather ironic that our last two games would be contested with the teams who are within a point or two behind us on the table, and Atalanta are the team that are exactly one point behind us going into this match. Which makes a result in this, the penultimate final, a necessity.

Milan were destroyed by Juventus, I’m not going to sugar coat anything here. Once again, the disparity between a club that has been shrewdly and carefully rebuilding since 2006-07 and now needs a moving van for their trophies and this Milan was glaringly blatant. Despite needing a moving van for the amount of cash we invested last summer, Milan are trying to repair the sinkhole Berlusconi and Galliani made of this club. And so far, it’s going about as well as this game did for us. Which is sad, because if had Milan managed the upset, we would be qualified for the Europa League Group Stages right now, and the team would be definitely coming to the U.S. this summer. But now we have to play two games, two finals, to see where we end up on the table and if we can play in the ICC Tournament or not. So don’t pack your bags yet.

Anything that is hard in life is worth having. That includes hardware. As in the Coppa Italia trophy. That also comes with a magic patch that we could put on those awful new Puma kits to dress them up a bit next season. Plus there’s bragging rights. Beating the team that is likely to lift a seventh consecutive Scudetto here in a couple of weeks is worth bragging about. It would also take a bit of the sting off of a season that didn’t live up to everyone’s dreams. But it would also mean automatic qualification into the Europa League group stages. And that gives the team the opportunity to come here to the U.S. to see me… I mean to play in the ICC tournament and make some serious cash while they frolic under the Southern California sun... sorry, I was daydreaming. Let’s just say that this match is all about the hardware.

After a season of hot and cold performances, looming ahead of us is a cold, dark mercato where there is more confusion than clarity. Despite a meeting with UEFA and a shareholder’s meeting, there are more questions than answers coming from management. And to make matters worse, the future of Mirabelli at Milan is also swirling with rumors and speculation, leaving us further in the depths of confusion.