Milan's futile win over Monza overshadowed by fan protests
AC Milan wrapped up their disappointing season with a 2-0 win over Monza on Saturday, but the game was overshadowed by fan protests against the club ownership and hierarchy both before and during the match.
Milan's victory came thanks to second half goals from Matteo Gabbia and Joao Felix, moving them to seventh in the standings but not into the European qualification places, one point above Fiorentina who are at Udinese on Sunday.
Thousands of Milan supporters gathered earlier on Saturday outside the club's Casa Milan headquarters, after a season of discontent culminated in a protest asking owner Gerry Cardinale to sell up and leave.
RedBird Capital Partners bought the club in June 2022, with Milan having just secured their first league title in 11 years, but the only trophy won since then was this year's Italian Super Cup, far below fans' expectations.
Supporters had already made their feelings clear from the start of the campaign, unhappy with the selection of Paulo Fonseca as manager, and the Portuguese coach was replaced by compatriot Sergio Conceicao in December.
Milan were eight in the table at the time, and while Conceicao won the Super Cup in his first games in charge, there was little improvement in Serie A and they exited the Champions League at the league phase.
Along with RedBird chief Cardinale, club Chairman Paolo Scaroni, CEO Giorgio Furlani, senior advisor Zlatan Ibrahimovic and technical director Geoffrey Moncada were all targets for supporters' anger in Saturday's protest.
The fans also called for the return of their hero Paolo Maldini to the club, after the former Milan defender was sacked from his technical director role in 2023, another decision which strained the relationship between supporters and owners.
After they marched to the San Siro, the Curva Sud fans positioned themselves to spell out 'Go Home' in a clear message to their American owner, and most left the sector in an organised walkout 15 minutes into the game.
"Among our fans there is disappointment, regret, anger and frustration, these are all feelings that we also feel. Do not think that this is not the case," club CEO Furlani told DAZN before the game.
"The season ends today and next week we start again."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CNA
an hour ago
- CNA
Dior picks Jonathan Anderson as creative director
Northern Irish designer Jonathan Anderson has been named creative director of women's, men's and haute couture collections of Dior, replacing Maria Grazia Chiuri who held the role for almost a decade. The expanded role for Anderson, who was made menswear designer in April, cements his status as a star of the business after his decade-long rise at Dior's parent company LVMH. Bernard Arnault, chair and chief executive of LVMH, described Anderson — son of former Irish rugby captain Willie Anderson — as 'one of the greatest creative talents' of his generation. 'His incomparable artistic signature will be a crucial asset in writing the next chapter of the history of the House of Dior,' he added. LVMH took a minority stake in Anderson's eponymous label in 2013, the same year that he was named creative director of the LVMH-owned Loewe. He transformed the reputable but staid Spanish label into one of the industry's most acclaimed fashion houses. Under Chiuri, Dior's first female creative director, sales grew quickly to nearly €8.7 billion (US$9.91 billion; S$12.77 billion) , according to HSBC estimates. In the past year, however, sales have fallen from record highs during an industry-wide slowdown. Sales at LVMH's bellwether fashion and leather goods division, which houses Dior, fell 5 per cent in the first quarter. Rising prices have contributed to consumer fatigue, as well as a sense that Dior needed some new creative impetus after the highly successful run under Chiuri and former chief executive Pietro Beccari, now in charge of luxury brand Louis Vuitton. Chiuri's departure was announced last week. 'Greedflation and lack of creativity have hit [Dior], but we believe the brand could recover with the second half of 2025 being flattish and 2026 growing again,' analysts at HSBC wrote, adding that excitement over Anderson's arrival was unlikely to help performance in the current fiscal year. Anderson grew up in Magherafelt, Northern Ireland and got his first break in fashion while working as a window dresser in Dublin's Brown Thomas department store. Considered a disrupter in the design world, his 2008 debut show for his own label JW Anderson, in which he showed a gender-fluid menswear collection of ruffled hot pants and leather dresses, was deemed a critical disaster and he considered giving up. More recent collections have demonstrated a sophisticated commercial instinct. Anderson has also taken on high-profile projects such as designing Rihanna's outfit for her 2023 Super Bowl appearance and costumes for recent Luca Guadagnino film Challengers. 'A point of view is essential in order to shape the output of a House,' said Anderson. 'I have mine, of course, regarding what Dior can be, but I am convinced that a House like this calls for an empathetic exchange.' The changes at Dior and Loewe are part of a wider reshuffle of top creative talent, as brands from Gucci to Valentino, Chanel and Balenciaga seek renewal in a tougher luxury market. Anderson left Loewe earlier this year when former Proenza Schouler designers Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez were named creative directors. While the LVMH group counts Sarah Burton — formerly of Alexander McQueen — at Givenchy and Camille Miceli at Pucci among its ranks, Chiuri's departure has emphasised the lack of women in creative leadership roles across the fashion industry. Anderson will present his first collection in Paris on Jun 27. Delphine Arnault, chair and chief executive of Christian Dior Couture, said: 'I am convinced that he will bring a creative and modern vision to our House, inspired by the fabulous story of Monsieur Dior and the codes he created.'
CNA
2 hours ago
- CNA
French state makes offer to buy part of Atos' former Advanced Computing unit
PARIS :The French state has made a 410 million euros ($466.33 million)confirmatory offer to buy part of the former Advanced Computing business of tech company Atos, said Atos on Monday. Once seen as a European tech champion, with a market value of more than 10 billion euros at its highest, Atos emerged from financial troubles in 2024 thanks to a restructuring agreement with its creditors. Atos said the French state's offer for its former Advanced Computing business was worth 410 million euros on an enterprise value basis. It added that its Vision AI businesses did not form part of the planned deal with the French government, and that Vision AI would be repositioned within Atos' Eviden business unit. ($1 = 0.8792 euros)
CNA
8 hours ago
- CNA
Musetti swings past Rune into French Open quarter-finals
PARIS :Lorenzo Musetti's impressive claycourt season rolled on in style on Sunday when the Italian craftsman downed the talented yet erratic Holger Rune 7-5 3-6 6-3 6-2 to reach the French Open quarter-finals for the first time. World number seven Musetti, who will take on American 15th seed Frances Tiafoe for a place in the last four, adjusted to the Dane's shift to a swashbuckling approach to keep his title hopes alive in a year that has seen him steady his game. For the 10th-seeded Rune, it was yet another failure against a member of the top 10 at a Grand Slam as he was denied a third quarter-final appearance at Roland Garros. "Last night I was dreaming of this match against Holger and I was playing at that level. I need to be very good, and I am really proud of myself tonight," said Musetti. Musetti, who said he has put some order in his game, arrived in Paris having reached at least the semi-finals in all three Masters events this season on clay. He did not disappoint on the Philippe Chatrier court, delighting the crowd with a handful of exquisite shots, notably from his impressive single-handed backhand. "I complain less now, I'm more steady," he said. The 23-year-old made a fast start, breaking in the opening game with a forehand winner before consolidating for a 2-0 lead. The Italian, who came into the match boasting an 11-0 Grand Slam record against players ranked outside the top five, looked sharp early, forcing a break point in the third game before netting a forehand that allowed Rune to steady himself and hold. COMPOSED The opening set remained scrappy, with both players trading breaks as unforced errors piled up on Rune's side of the court. Musetti kept his nose in front, capitalising on Rune's inconsistency to take the first set, with the momentum hinging on whether the Dane could tighten his game. Rune responded well in the second set, adopting a more aggressive approach by charging the net to disrupt Musetti's rhythm. The tactic paid off as the 22-year-old secured a vital break and maintained his composure, sealing the set with a powerful smash to level the match. Errors crept back into Rune's game in the fourth set, allowing Musetti to surge ahead 2-0 as the Italian kept his game tight and composed. Having adjusted to Rune's frequent forays to the net, Musetti began to find his range with a series of precise backhand passing shots. He carved out two break points in the opening game of the third set and converted with a blistering forehand winner, seizing full control of the contest. It was virtually game over when Rune dropped serve again in the fifth game, sending a forehand wide when he had an open court. Musetti wrapped it up on serve with an ace for his first win against Rune in three encounters. Addressing his army of fans in Italian, he said: "To all the Italians who are here in Paris, obviously you've stayed deep into the night, your support was fundamental, it helped me push my limits."
