The Copa del Rey was lost. Doubt was rising throughout Europe, but Barça showed us that nothing has changed. Before the match, Piqué said, “Any fan who doesn’t think we can turn it round against Milan should give his ticket for the game to someone who does.” The Camp Nou crowd supported their side all night long. This one was for Tito, and it was a performance for the ages.
[Posted by Eric. Gifs by Dale Con Comba]
It’s a surprisingly good time to be a Milan fan. I mean, support endures the good and the bad, but this year was supposed to be a rough, rebuilding year for AC Milan. They started out Serie A poorly after losing Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Thiago Silva, faced financial uncertainty with Silvio Berlusconi’s problems, and shipped Pato back to Brazil because he was as brittle as a duck.
The transition has instead formed something beautiful. Milan’s academy has risen, and indeed the club hopes to emphasize their value of players grown under the Rossoneri foundations. The current Milan side has become the youngest since the 2002-03 season. The front-three of El Shaarawy, Balotelli and Niang have a combined age of 60 with the Frenchmen only recently turning 18. With Filippo Inzaghi helping the next generation develop, AC Milan’s series called “The Future” takes us behind-the-scenes to see where we’ll find the next Maldini and Super Pippo ready to emerge. [Posted by Eric]
They didn’t like being called the favourite. Barcelona almost always are these days, but something about AC Milan frightened them. Not so much the team, or its players, but the very thought of playing against Milan. Barcelona’s people spoke of their opponents in the round of 16 in the Champions League as if they were patron saints of the tournament. (And to some they are.)
But they came into Milan’s San Siro revering a familiar foe to such great extents. Milan’s history, their seven European titles, and their past performances against Barcelona — despite winning none of the seven previous games — intimidated them. Barca’s president, Sandro Rosell, didn’t feel relaxed. Xavi, too, speaking like a historian of the game, felt uneasy. “They have always made things difficult for us,” he told Sport.es before the game.
If Milan’s new team — only four of the team’s starters remained the same since the last time the two sides met — didn’t intimidate them, this idea of history did. Not what Milan are, but what they represent: a club demanding respect. Now, Bojan Krkic, the former Barcelona player, had at least said so: “Barca has the best in the world,” he told reporters, “but the San Siro commands respect.” So the visitors gave them every bit of it, maybe even too much. After all, it is Barcelona’s opponents who so often give too much respect. So often those opponents give up possession for the sake of defending.
By Max Grieve
Lo! And now the towers fall
Under some words too great
Alas, they had them built too tall
And they could not bear the weight
There Zlatan goes, and so goes all
Imagination. Allegri sighs, defeated
“Why have all my parts retreated?”
I met a Frenchman in the stands
His face was covered by his hands
Wearied by the fight below
And ignorant of distant fans
“I am Platini: hear me now!”
And he began an explanation
Of blind and deaf decisions
Or a new UEFA regulation
Though I couldn’t hear him all too well
Through his forks of red crustacean.
Lo! And now the towers fall
Under some words too great
Alas, they had them built too tall
And they could not bear the weight
Crushed by departure, Allegri calls
“Where are those we once admired?”
Sounds echo off four empty walls
They’ve left for Paris, or retired.
With the European Championships on the horizon, Matthew Richards profiles the tumultuous career of Yoann Gourcuff, who was somewhat controversially called up to the most recent French squad, in part one of a look at his remarkable journey that has taken him from France to Milan, and back again.
Ever since Zidane chose to so ignominiously end his career in Berlin, French football has been left with a distinct void. Where Kopa and Platini reigned before the talismanic midfielder, there is now a long line of pretenders to the throne. Just as was the situation in Argentina for many years – though Messi appears to only be a strong World Cup away from near surpassing Maradona – there have been those chosen by the media and professed as the next in line; Henry, Ribéry and Vieira all bearing the responsibility at one point in their careers. Nothing yet, and the search continues. Welcome to Le Jeu des Trônes.
To be compared to Zinedine Zidane is both an honour and a hindrance. The similarities are plain to see: both Gourcuff and Zidane occupy the same area on the field, both burst onto the international scene with Bordeaux, both share the same on-pitch demeanour and style. “Don’t put too much pressure on the guy, and don’t ask him to be the new anybody,” said Zidane. “We can all see he’s very talented.” Here lies the drawback to the comparison. Gourcuff will never be able live up to the potential that others have decided that he has – and this is not to do his career a disservice; not many will ever equal Zidane. The pressure to live up to the mark is immense, and often insurmountable. Time will tell with Gourcuff, and his early appearances for France were promising, as were many of his performances for Bordeaux. If he’s looking to shed the comparison’s he’s often gone about it the wrong way, so good has he been on occasion.
Not often does a Milan derby decide who wins Serie A. It’s even rarer when the derby’s winner is not one of the title contenders. But this was exactly the case on Sunday. Inter Milan outplayed their rivals, but subsequently awarded Juventus their 28th Serie A title. The match ended 4-2, with a Diego Milito hat-trick, a brace from Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and an absolute golazo from Maicon. Ryu finally got the chance to take in the derby, and he enjoyed every bit of it. Except maybe the smoke from the flares.
(Interact with Ryu on twitter @Toksuede and check his Flickr)
By Ulysse Pasquier, writing from Paris
Although the sport sections of French newspapers have been dominated this past week by Les Bleues’ exploits in the Women’s World Cup, the fate of the Ligue 1 may dramatically -and discreetly - change in the coming days. Speculation has been running wild in France concerning the future of Leonardo and it now seems inevitable that the former Inter Milan manager will join Paris Saint-Germain before the start of the season. The context in which this signing would be concluded makes it twice as significant. On May 31st 2011, state-run wealth fund Qatar Investment Authority bought a controlling 70% stake in the club, reportedly ready to provide €150million over three years to strengthen the squad. This is a substantial sum of money for a French club and the signing of Leonardo would be a major stepping stone for both PSG and the Ligue 1.
By Mirko Corli, writing from Torino
Welcome back and let’s have a look at the amazing events that unfolded last week in Serie A.
First, we have to start with Lazio flying high at the top of the league. Coach Reja’s side is having a terrific moment now, every player is in a good shape, the team is working like a clock and nothing seems difficult to achieve.
The biancocelesti are also a little lucky and you definitely need luck to be on top of Serie A (and, of course, to win it) nowadays. If you take a look at the second goal they scored on Sunday night against Bari you will notice that Floccari was clearly in a position to strike the ball into the net but certainly did not want to strike the way he managed to.
Anyway, so far so good for Lazio, they deserve to be on top of the table and they deserve it more if you consider they are there even without using one of their most dangerous players, Maurito Zarate.
By Mirko Corli, writing from Torino
Yes, you’re right. Cesena, one the of the newcomers of this season’s Serie A is on top of the league alongside defending champions Inter.
Actually, that is no surprise if you think about Serie A. The key to impress, the key to win, the key to stay on top, as I told you here before on AFR, is balance, stability, and the ability to keep your shape no matter the time, the game, or the moment in the season.
Inter and Cesena are two teams with all these qualities and two teams used to win: Inter in Italy’s top league and also in Europe, Cesena in the lower leagues (three years ago they were in Lega Pro, the same as League 1 in English football). These teams are used to fight for the big prize, no matter the dimension of the prize, and so it’s simpler for them to put this strenght onto the pitch. The surprising thing here is that Cesena were able to portray this attitude on the pitch against giants Roma and AC Milan and to secure an important win against their direct rivals for avoiding relegation (Lecce, last Sunday).
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