Lecce-Milan Preview: Paying for Camarda

After years of having very few quality players come through our youth sector, Milan struck gold when Francesco Camarda came through. The striker, a lifelong Milanista, whose father brought him with him in the Curva Sud at San Siro and even has a Curva Sud tattoo, became a prolific scorer in the youth sector, scoring 485 goals in just 89 matches. As a Milan and Italy generational talent, his development was being carefully supervised under Maldini. But once he was sacked, things went downhill quickly, and last year, the club failed him completely. So Milan sent him on loan this season to Lecce, with option to buy and Milan retaining a buyback clause. But to incentivize his playing time, Milan are reportedly paying Lecce bonuses of €75,000 for each appearance and €100,000 for every goal he scores. And seeing how Milan cleared out all but one of our strikers, and are still scrambling to find one more, it has been noted that we could have really, really used Camarda this season on our roster. Instead, on Friday night at the Stadio Via del Mare, we will literally be paying for Camarda.

It hurts so much to see him wearing another jersey.

Milan 1, Cremonese 2: Allegri Is Back

The last time Milan lost their first match of the season at the San Siro, it was under Allegri, as well, a 1-0 loss to Sampdoria in 2012. That was following the exit of all of the Senatore (because of Allegri,) and also Galliani selling Ibrahimović and Thiago Silva for a bag of cash. This summer, we lost quality players such as Reijnders, Theo Hernández, Thiaw, Kyle Walker, Tammy Abraham, and twenty other players from our roster. Twenty. Just as in 2012, they were either replaced with less talented players or not replaced at all. So it is no surprise that history repeated itself after a transfer purge like that, and Milan lost 2-1 to Cremonese at the San Siro in their first match of the 2025-26 season. (That is newly promoted Cremonese, by the way.) People were begging for a "winning coach," but Allegri is back.

Here we go again.

Milan-Cremonese Preview: RedBird's Funeral Parlor

Despite Sunday's successful Coppa Italia win over Bari, there was something very much to be desired. The atmosphere at the San Siro was eery and abysmal, unworthy of this great club, and lamented even by those who have associated with the guilty parties. Following the harsh restrictions imposed by the local law enforcement on the use of banners, flags, and coreografia last season due to the investigation and conviction of eight members of the Curva Sud, Milan increased the tensions by blacklisting a number of Curva Sud members for participating in protests against the club last season. The Curva's response was to not cheer as usual on Sunday, which was a sad and haunting experience, and they have announced that they will do this again for this match. For once, I actually very much support their actions, even though it impacts the team, because there is so much at stake here for the future. If they lose this battle, the San Siro will eternally become RedBird's Funeral Parlor.

Normally colorful and full of life, the San Siro has become RedBird's Funeral Parlor.

Milan 2, Bari 0: Even Without Allegri

Milan played their first official match of the Allegri era on Sunday in the Coppa Italia, and managed a 2-0 win over Bari, even without Allegri. The recycled new manager was suspended for two matches after his unwelcome rage striptease act while on the Juventus bench in the Coppa Italia Final in 2024. In the saddest and most generic San Siro atmosphere I have ever seen, our new players were presented, and then the team went on to earn their spot in the next round without too many problems. There were obviously positives and negatives, but it was comforting to know they pulled it off, even without Allegri.

 A team filled with leaders, veterans, new, and young players can win even without Allegri.

Coppa Italia First Round • Milan-Bari Preview: Not Again

Sunday marks Milan's first competitive match of the 2025-26 season. Because they both finished eighth on the table and lost the Coppa Italia Final to Bologna in May, they play beginning in the First Round in August rather than the Round of 16 in December. Milan are starting the season with a recycled new manager, Massimiliano Allegri. Although he won't be on the bench for this match because he thought it was a good idea to perform a raging striptease for a referee who did not call a foul in the Coppa Italia Final a year ago when he was with Juventus. So he was given a two match suspension in the Coppa Italia and asked to keep his clothes on, for all of us. So seriously, this match comes with a warning for Allegri: Not Again.

This team... ready or not, is taking the pitch at San Siro on Sunday (sans Allegri.)

Clashing with Champions Chelsea

Milan's second friendly in as many days and final preseason friendly this summer takes them to London. There, Milan will face this year's Conference League Winners and Club World Cup winners, Chelsea. Kickoff will be only 24 hours after Milan's 1-1 draw with Leeds in Dublin. But I'm sure Allegri will rely primarily on players he rested on Saturday to start. Meanwhile, Chelsea will also be playing their second friendly in just three days, having defeated Bayer Leverkusen 2-0 on Friday at Stamford Bridge. They are also paying the terrible toll of playing in the Club World Cup this summer, with one big injury already. Whereas Milan are coming off of a season of shame and disappointment, Chelsea spent last season fighting to get back to where they belong, and so Milan will be clashing with champions Chelsea.

Chelsea won a giant trophy this summer, I wonder if their special friend will also be there on Sunday?

Milan's Penultimate Preseason Challenge vs. Leeds in Ireland

The transfer market is reaching a fever pitch just as Milan prepares to take the pitch for their final two preseason matches. The first of those games is Saturday afternoon in Ireland vs. newly promoted Premier League side Leeds United. Despite Milan managing to defeat Premier League title holders Liverpool 4-2 in Hong Kong and destroy A-League side Perth Glory 9-0 in Perth, facing a newly promoted side might be just about the right level for a team that finished eighth last season in Serie A. Sure, Milan finally have everyone training with the team, including a couple of big new signings. But the team is far from complete, and there are important deals being negotiated as this is being written. It's all part of the fun of Milan's penultimate preseason challenge.

Ready to win... or something.