AC Milan 5-1 Cagliari, Saturday 11th May 2024

AC Milan 5-1 Cagliari, Serie A, San Siro, att. 70,612

Finally, an ambition realised. What groundhopper doesn’t want to visit San Siro? Who watched Italia 90 and didn’t want to visit this cathedral of football? And with both AC and Inter making plans to leave, time seemed of the essence. I’d planned all season to see a game, and with the English league season over, now’s my chance. Mind, with the actual date of the match not set until less than two weeks to go, my partner and I have arranged to stay Thursday to Tuesday. We’re taking no chances, even if I’m not that keen on Milan (the place).

Once the date was set (it’s the Sat nite fixture) we can actually plan our break. 2 nites in Lecco, on Lake Como, followed by 3 nites in Milan. With television decreeing when matches kick off these days (like, England, Sky TV appears to decide the schedule), this match could’ve been anywhere from Friday to Monday nite. For weeks I have refreshed my browser to see when this game will actually take place. Tickets need to be bought.

The AC Milan website is easy to navigate and once the date is settled, tickets go on sale. €24 for the middle tier of the Curva Nord. Very reasonable. It’s equally easy to get there, San Siro being the last stop on the purple line. God knows what it’ll be like on the way back, 80,000 all going to the same subway stop. Wembley’s bad enough.

It is a lovely early summer’s evening. It’s been 25 degrees all day, about as much as I can take, and the crowds are out in short-sleeves. Stalls dominate the 2 sides of the stadium as you leave the subway. There’s any amount of AC Milan scarves on offer, even an AC-Cagliari half and half scarf for a whopping thirty five (35) Euros. No thanks. There’s dozens of refreshment stalls too, more fairground than footie.

We got there early. I’ve seen the free-for-all at Sampdoria regarding seats and didn’t want the rigmarole. The plan worked well, as latecomers had no idea which row was which. Seats had numbers, but you had to work out your row for yourself. And although sparse...a plastic seat with no back...San Siro was not as rundown as I imagined. Plenty of concrete, but it’s not dropping to bits the way the Luigi Ferraris was. Mind, a chunk of the Curva South upper tier was out of bounds.

Milan are almost certain to finish runners-up. Unfortunately for them, it’s to Inter, who, as the away side, clinched the title at San Siro a fortnight back. Tonite’s opponents, Cagliari, are just above the relegation zone. But who’s that I see in their technical area? Why, it’s former Premiership title winner Claudio Ranieri. Who knew!? (Turns out the answer is ‘half my mates’.)

We peruse the sides and don’t recognise too many names. It’s a long time since Van Basten, Gullit and Rijkaard won Europeans Cups here. Zlatan (my partner’s all-time favourite) has now retired (though his name remains popular on fans shirts) so we’re left with Olivier Giroud, or ‘Pants Man’ as he’s known in our house. Star turn Rafael Leao is on the bench. Oh well.

The match kicks off in front of a half empty stadium. I’d say there’s no more than 50,000 there, and nowhere near the official attendance of 70,000. It’s like Arsenal before they got good again…official capacity crowds yet swathes of empty seats. The atmosphere is dead too. The ultras section in the Curva South are on strike. They’ve turned up, but are resolutely refusing to make any noise. I’m told by a mate they’re in dispute with the ownership. A couple of banners proclaim ‘Milano non si accontenta’ (‘Milan is not satisfied’) and ‘Noi pretendiamo e meritiamo una societa forte e vincente’ (‘We deserve a strong and winning club’). Don’t we all?

Thus, with nothing to feed off, the rest of the stadium is muted too, save for the 100 or so Cagliari fans behind me (and the plexiglass) in the upper tier. They seem happy enough though and attempt to make some noise. There is a cheer in the 35th minute though when Bennacer opens the scoring. The ultras remain resolute in their silence. Up till then, it was giving the ball to Giroud, back to goal (as ever) and going nowhere. The whole thing is less than thrilling.

Coach Stefan Pioli must have read our minds. At half-time he hauls Giroud and puts on Leao, who proceeds to run the show. He scores one, creates numerous other chances and Milan run out 5-1 winners (ex Chelsea squad player Christian Pulisic scoring twice). This has ruined the ultras’sulk as the rest of the ground is in tremendous spirits. Oh well. And San Siro? Even if Inter and AC leave, San Siro is here to stay, the authorities AKA the Regional Commission for the Cultural Heritage of Lombardy say so. The temple will remain, whether Inter and Milan stay or not.

The Damage:
€24 ent
€4 beer (x2)
= €32

Arsenal 3-1 AC Milan, Thursday 15th March 2018

Arsenal 3-1 AC Milan, Europa League Quarter Final 2nd leg (att. 58,973)

Welcome to ...

Living in London and playing 5 aside in Finsbury Park on a Thursday night DOES have its advantages, as one of the lads, an Arsenal fan, has a spare ticket for this evening’s Europa League quarter final with AC Milan, a game I considered trying to get a ticket for anyway (until I realised I’d rather play footie). Our match finished 8pm, Arsenal kicked-off 8:05. No worries, we’ll only miss a few mins.

As it is, I’m on my expensive bike, with the cheap lock. There’s no way I’m leaving that outside the Emirates. It also brings back memories of the night Northern Ireland beat England, when I was parked up at the Michael Sobell Leisure Centre and someone kicked in one of my wheels while I watched the match in a nearby pub. Danny lived nearby, so I borrowed a decent lock and scuttled to the Emirates.

No mistaking which end I'm in.

Course, following playing, I was a bit hungry, so I parked up and raided the local Co-op. There was no way I was paying Emirates’ food prices, even if I was getting in for free. And despite knowing my alphabet, I still ended up walking ¾ of the way around the stadium to whatever entrance it was at the North Bank End.

The seat was superb, upper tier, near the front, right behind the goal. Mustn’t complain. Not sure I was dressed for it tho, in shorts and luminous cycling jacket, but it was a mild evening and, for once, most of the Arsenal fans had turned up. There was a sniff of glory in the air.

The scene is set...20 mins in and no goals.

Two-nil up from the 1st leg, this would surely be a formality. So up stepped Hakan Calhanoglu to hammer one in from 25 yards, bottom corner. OK, a long way out, but it was hit perfectly so I’m loathe to blame Ospina in goal. The next three minutes were my favourite of the match, as tension was in the air and the home fans’ confidence noticeably ebbed.

No need to worry though. There’ll always be an Arsenal player capable of falling over and gaining a penalty. In this case, Welbeck is blown over by a mysterious gust of wind. The ref isn’t fooled and plays on. Unfortunately, the 4th (5th?) official says he was touched and the ref changes his mind. Welbeck recovers to put the penalty away. Game over.  Half-time came and I even bumped into another couple of Arsenal mates.  'Guess who's an Arsenal fan for the night?' I asked.  'Well, if you're a proper Arsenal fan, you'll have to leave 15 minutes before the end.'  Who says Arsenal fans lack self-deprecation?

Milan players salute their fans at full-time.

Thereafter, it’s mostly Arsenal. They’re all about confidence, and now AC can’t live with them. Still, it takes an almighty botch up by Milan keeper Donnarumma to put Arsenal ahead, as he fumbles Xhaka’s long ranger over the line. Then, late on, Welbeck seal it, scoring heading in a rebound from close range after Ramsay’s effort was saved. In the end, it’s easy, 5-1 on aggregate. 

Milan fans bounce around like there's no tomorrow, while Arsenal celebrate by either leaving the stadium or chanting reserve keeper Ospina's name (I think, cos Milan fans were chanting something to whatever tune Arsenal fans chant 'Ospina')  Deep down, I’m quite pleased for the Arse. Perhaps if they win this tournament, they can hang on to Arsene for another season of filling the airwaves with their moaning. I hope so.  It's one of life's small pleasures.

The Damage: free ent (cheers Mani!)

Players take their applause.

Arsenal fans salute their heroes (!)

and most fans have left before the players.

Man City 5-3 AC Milan / Bayern Munich 2-0 Sao Paulo, Wednesday 31st July 2013

Man City 5-3 AC Milan
Bayern Munich 2-0 Sao Paulo

The Audi Cup, 2013.  Remember this moment.

And so it was that I rocked up into Munich expecting to have a night off from football.  However, even before I arrived at my hostel, the smell of the footie was in the air.  I'd seen 2 or 3 people dotted around in football shirts.  'SPFC' they said.  Sparta Prague?  They didn't look very Czech.  Then at the hostel, there were plenty of folk wearing Man City shirts, as well as Bayern Munich.  What could it all mean?  A pointless pre-season 'tournament'? You bet!

Some fans were 'on message',

Having checked in, I searched the internet to discover it was the 'Audi Cup 2013'.  Wow!  I can't miss this. Tonite was Man City v AC Milan followed by Bayern Munich v Sao Paulo. Ah, of course, SAO PAULO.  Actually, I'd already made an educated guess, since all of their fans looked..errr...South American.

18:15 KO, so there was no chance of me not missing that.  But an easy journey to the stadium, line 6 to Frottmaning.  However, the train wasn't going that far up the line (engineering problems?) so when the Bayern shirts got off at Alte Heide, I jumped off too, like the sheep that I am.  Outside, we were met by a fleet of buses ready to take us direct to the stadium.  Note: we English can't even put that in place for a COMPETITIVE game, let alone a glorified friendly.

I arrive...3-0 already

From the drop-off point, you still have to walk half a mile up a slight incline across scrubland to the Allianz Arena. It's like the wide expanse of nothingness that was/is the no-man's land of (No) Pride Park, Derby.

Still, the stadium is an impressive sight. I wonder where the ticket office is?  How much are tickets? Touts were selling as you got off the bus, and since a staggering (to me) 52,000 had already been sold (source: Man City's website), was it sold out? I also had another problem: I'd left most of my euros at the hostel.  I only had €24 on me.

Full time, eight goal thriller.

Turns out the ticket offices are below ground, before you get to the stadium.  Another deliberate ploy not to ruin the Arena's sightlines?  Yes there's tickets.  €20 in the stehplatz, €45 in the seats.  No, they don't take cards. So I buy a standing ticket and hope I don't get too dehydrated watching the best part of two matches.  I needn't have worried.

Firstly, I smuggle in my bottle of water.  That was nice of the steward, not to search me.  Secondly, while you needed an 'Arena Card' to buy anything, you could put credit on it using your...credit card. Well, I'm here for the whole evening, let's have €20 on that.

Joe Hart, directing.

Just as I enter the stadium, I hear a cheer.  I know I've missed a goal but at this point I don't even know who's playing.  It's 23 minutes in and it's Man City 3 AC Milan 0.  Of course it is.  There'd better be more goals - and there was.  By 35 minutes it's 5-0.  'Man City are in dreamland' said a Manc stadium announcer.  Interesting idea, letting all 4 teams bring their own stadium announcer. Wouldn't happen in a league game.  By half time it's 5-3, which begs the question: what's the point? Friendlies, I mean.  Is it sad or hilarious that 56,500 have turned out to watch the Audi Cup?

Pep, making his home debut\/

I don't normally do 'friendlies', at least not involving my own team.  I once chatted to Harry Bassett after a defeat to a bunch of Swedish part-timers.  'Hell of a workout they had this morning and they were too knackered this afternoon'.  That's all friendlies are for: getting fit and making as many substitutions as possible.

Oh, and Man City finished 5-3, despite Milan missing another 3 one-on-ones.  The class act in the game was David Silva, whose name I couldn't remember until now.  David Villa?  No, it's not him,  He's the little beardy one who was at Barca. Who is it? David...Villa?  No, he's the...etc

Bayern's introduction...in a FRIENDLY!

Later, Bayern cruised home 2-0, with possibly the best XI I've ever seen.  Whilst being a friendly, it was a pleasure to see Robben and Ribery in full flow on the flanks, ripping Sao Paulo to shreds at will.  Which reminded me, when was the last time I'd seen the current European champions live in the flesh?  Dunno, but I remember the 1st: 84/85, FA Cup quarter final, Barnsley 0, Liverpool 4 (0-0 after 55 mins).

Possibly the best starting XI I've ever seen.  Possibly.

The atmosphere at the Allianz was all very...nice.  The stadium seemed full of tourists.  Like me! Was this the only chance for many Bayern 'fans' to see a game?  (I say 'fans'; they had Bayern shirts on, but had no idea how the 'Arena Card' system worked,)  The main noise was the constant chatter round the ground, interspersed with kids smacking those cardboard clackers together.  Half a dozen Bayern fans a few seats (sorry, I never mentioned, they'd put seats onto the terrace) along were constantly chanting and trying to get things going, but really, it was all a bit Emirates Stadium. People just wanted to sit, stare at the football impassively and politely applaud a goal / individual piece of brilliance.  Nothing wrong with that, I thought, as a man handed me a beer while I sat in my seat.

Attendance: 56,500

The Damage:
€20 ent
€20 beer/food (beer was €4 a pot, bredzels €2.70)

The Tunes:
Liquid Skin - Gomez
Endtroducing - DJ Shadow
Tripomatic Fairytales - Jam and Spoon

8 goal, blue skies..another game to go.  Perfick!

Bayern - SPFC match action.

Spare seats on the left.  Corporate?

As 'perfect' as a stadium can be.

My view in Game 2.  I'd moved.

Match action.

Underground parking (stadium to right).