AC Milan failed to honor the 125th anniversary of the club’s founding with Sunday’s dismal goalless draw against Genoa, which left the seven-time European champions far behind the top teams in Serie A.
Fiorentina also lost ground in the title race, losing 1-0 at Bologna and missing the chance to claim a club-record ninth consecutive league victory.
In front of more than 70,000 supporters and many icons who came to San Siro to see their former team and celebrate Milan’s anniversary, Paulo Fonseca’s team did nothing to live up to a glorious footballing history.
ALSO READ | Missiles and violence in Glasgow city center ahead of Celtic vs Rangers Scottish Cup final
Alvaro Morata came closest to scoring for Milan when he smashed a point-blank goal off the crossbar 11 minutes from time in another uninspiring display that drew derision from supporters and left Milan eighth with just 23 points – eight of the Champions League positions. and 14 behind championship leader Atalanta.
“The players played with desire, they played as a team, the only thing missing was the goal,” insisted Fonseca.
“We were aggressive, we got the ball high up the court, we made a lot of shots but we just couldn’t score.”
But supporters chanted “we are not Americans” in front of American owner Redbird and unfurled a banner reading “we honor our heroes, symbols of a Milan that no longer exists”, which did not is hardly what the club would have hoped for during pre-match planning. birthday match ceremony.
Supporters hold up signs for AC Milan’s 125th anniversary before the Serie A match between AC Milan and Genoa | Photo credit: Getty Images
Supporters hold up signs for AC Milan’s 125th anniversary before the Serie A match between AC Milan and Genoa | Photo credit: Getty Images
Milan wore a vintage jersey for the occasion and before kick-off a host of icons paraded onto the pitch carrying some of the many trophies won since the club was founded on December 16, 1899 as Milan Foot-Ball and Cricket Club.
Among them were the Dutch trio Ruud Gullit, Marco van Basten and Frank Rijkaard, who, under the leadership of Arrigo Sacchi and Fabio Capello, played in one of the greatest teams in football history, and Andrea Pirlo, who won Milan’s last Champions League in 2007.
The contrast between some of the names announced before the match and those who actually played was stark, partly due to an injury crisis and also Fonseca’s dissatisfaction with his team.
Fonseca blasted his players after a lackluster win over Red Star Belgrade in the Champions League and said he would select academy players if he failed to get the right attitude from his senior players. big names.
The Portuguese did just that by dropping French international Theo Hernandez for Spain under-19 international Alex Jimenez and giving 17-year-old Mattia Liberali his Serie A debut in place of Yunus Musah, injured.
But the performance was not encouraging and probably could not improve the mood of the already irritated Fonseca, nor that of the fans.
– Fiorentina briefs –
Fiorentina are fourth, six points behind Atalanta with a game in hand after a first league defeat in three months, 1-0 at Bologna.
Sunday’s result moved Bologna up to seventh and three points behind Juventus, who occupy the Conference League spot, with a game in hand and gave coach Vincenzo Italiano a big win against his former club.
Italiano managed Fiorentina for three seasons, taking the Viola to two Europa League finals and one Italian Cup final before joining Bologna in the summer.
“We are growing as a team and our identity is starting to show, especially defensively,” Italiano said.
“To have conceded so little to this Fiorentina team is brilliant.”
Como are level on 15 points with Verona and Parma after two stoppage-time goals surprised Cesc Fabregas’ side but deserved a 2-0 victory over Roma.
Roma have improved since Claudio Ranieri returned for his third spell as manager last month, but Sunday’s performance was a step back and left the capital club just two points above the last three.
“They did everything they could to win the game and we didn’t do enough to create chances… we could be tired by the number of matches we have played but I don’t like to count on an apology,” Ranieri said.
On Monday, Roma’s local rivals Lazio host champions Inter Milan, with both teams tied on 31 points with Fiorentina and hoping to stay within sight of Atalanta.
