AC Milan failed to mark the 125th anniversary of their foundation with a win, settling for a disappointing 0-0 draw against Genoa on Sunday. The result left the seven-time European champions well behind the top teams in Serie A. Similarly, Fiorentina’s title hopes took a hit with a 1-0 loss at Bologna, missing the chance to secure a club-record ninth consecutive league win.
In front of over 70,000 fans and a host of club legends who gathered at the San Siro to celebrate Milan’s historic milestone, the team failed to deliver a performance worthy of the occasion. Alvaro Morata came closest to scoring for Milan, hitting the crossbar from close range with just 11 minutes left. The uninspiring display drew boos from the fans, leaving Milan in eighth place with just 23 points — eight points behind the Champions League spots and 14 behind leaders Atalanta.
“The players played with desire, they played like a team, the only thing missing was the goal,” said Milan coach Paulo Fonseca. “We were aggressive, won the ball back high up the pitch, created many chances, but just couldn’t score.”
However, the supporters voiced their frustration with the US owners, Redbird, chanting “we’re not Americans” and displaying a banner that read, “We honor our heroes, symbols of a Milan that no longer exists.” This was far from the celebration the club had envisioned for the anniversary.
Before the match, Milan donned a vintage kit, and a parade of icons carried the club’s numerous trophies, celebrating the team’s rich history. Among the legends were Dutch trio Ruud Gullit, Marco van Basten, and Frank Rijkaard, who were part of one of the greatest football teams under Arrigo Sacchi and Fabio Capello, as well as Andrea Pirlo, who helped Milan win their last Champions League in 2007.
The contrast between the legendary players parading on the pitch and the current squad was stark, with injuries and Fonseca’s dissatisfaction with his team contributing to a lackluster performance. After a poor win over Red Star Belgrade in the Champions League, Fonseca had warned that he would give chances to academy players if the senior squad didn’t show the right attitude.
True to his word, Fonseca dropped France international Theo Hernandez and gave 17-year-old Mattia Liberali his Serie A debut in place of the injured Yunus Musah. However, the performance failed to lift the manager’s spirits or those of the disappointed fans.
Meanwhile, Fiorentina slipped to fourth place after their first league defeat in three months, a 1-0 loss at Bologna. This result left them six points behind Atalanta with a game in hand. Bologna’s win moved them up to seventh, three points behind Juventus, and gave coach Vincenzo Italiano a memorable victory against his former club.
Italiano, who managed Fiorentina for three seasons before joining Bologna, was pleased with his team’s defensive performance: “We’re growing as a team, and our identity is starting to come through, especially defensively,” he said. “To have conceded so little to this Fiorentina team is brilliant.”
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In another surprise result, Como claimed a 2-0 win over Roma with two stoppage-time goals, lifting them to level on 15 points with Verona and Parma. Roma have struggled since Claudio Ranieri’s return as coach, and this latest defeat leaves them just two points above the relegation zone. Ranieri acknowledged the team’s shortcomings: “We did everything we could to win the match, but we didn’t do enough to create opportunities. We could be tired from all the matches we’ve played, but I don’t like to rely on excuses.”
On Monday, Roma’s local rivals Lazio will host champions Inter Milan. Both teams are level on 31 points with Fiorentina and are eager to stay within reach of Atalanta.
