Milan Obsession

The team has been renewed. The preseason matches have been played. And whether or not Milan is ready, the new season is upon us. There is plenty to talk about, plenty to try to predict, and more than enough excitement in preparation for this much anticipated season. How this ends, only time will tell. But either the Devil is coming back, or we are in league with the devil.  Gearing up for a new season, I needed someone in the know, so I asked Pete to sit down for a chat. You can follow him on Twitter @PDAcquaviva and read his blog at pdacquaviva.com. This is what we talked about:  News of the Week: New CFO, season ticket sales, Europa League attendance record, injuries, new stadium for Atalanta  Europa League qualifying and Friendly: a quick recap games and VAR Mercato Update: who is leaving Changing of the Captaincy: the greatest moment of justice ever Financial Fair Play (FFP): update on Milan’s FFP status  Season Predictions: Europa League, Serie A and Montella predictions Coming up: Europa Le

Some people suffer from a serious condition called Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, which is not to be taken lightly. Milan fans have also suffered over five years of trauma, and in some ways we may have our own version of PTSD. Nothing brings the flashbacks and anxiety back like talks of funding or deadlines, and there has been some talk about those things lately. However, there is football being played now, and still so many good things to talk about that we can still enjoy being a Milan fan better than we have in a long time. Nothing says fan podcast like a guest who was born in Milano and is a second generation Milanista. That is, of course, Francesco. You can follow him on Twitter @FrancescoPetra8. This time, we chatted about: News of the Week: Season tickets, killer kit, Mr. X returns, Gattuso, Serie A schedule for this season Friendlies and Europa League qualifying: a quick recap of recent games Mercato Update: who is staying and going Biglia and Bonucci: the mystery behind them not playing Pal

They said it would never happen. But “they” are mostly Juventus legends who are clearly not up to date on modern football, or Juve fans who have had their hearts ripped out, stepped on, and shipped to Casa Milan. And “it” was Leonardo Bonucci agreeing to come to Milan. And be our new captain. And possibly impregnate our women. (Okay, I may have made that last part up. There is a lot of hysteria around this transfer. Forgive me.) With five new players coming in since the last podcast and more possibly being signed as I type this, Milan’s mercato has become a frenzy of spending, celebrating, and sheer excitement for the future. Please join us as we celebrate Bonucci Madness. With Milan buying players faster than Berlusconi can get out of a lawsuit, I needed someone knowledgeable and sensible to sort everything out with. So of course I spoke with David. You can follow him on Twitter @DavidLSwan (the “L” is for legend.) We spoke about: News of the Week: Edgar Davids fashion, friendly in Lugano, the Europa League

With the team returning to Milanello, there is excitement in the air. All of the new signings not only give Milan fans something to talk about, but also something to finally truly dream about. There are some players leaving, some deals yet to be worked out. But for the first time in years, the return to Milanello will actually feel like a rally, or raduno. Kicking off a new season meant I needed a new guest, and that was Christian. You can follow Christian on Twitter @CLumia, and you will definitely want to follow him to see what he’s got coming up. On the podcast, we talked about: News of the Week: Tennis anyone?, Italy U21, Silva’s Portugal, U16 Scudetto, returning to Milanello, social media problems Club Update: board of directors meeting and more  Mercato Update: new signings, renewals, and departures Coming up: summer friendlies and Europa League qualifying Thanks again to Christian for the great conversation. Follow him on Twitter @CLumia to see what’s coming next.

 Anger. Pain. Hurt. Disappointment. Despite such a promising beginning to our mercato, we are all filled with anger. I never knew an 18 year old could break my heart like this, even when I was 18 years old. Donnarumma represented hope, faith, and the future of Milan, so his failure to sign a contract renewal represents a death of all of those things on some level. With emotions still raw, it was important to talk about what we know and how we feel. I had to go back to the beginning for a conversation like this, so I asked my original co-blogger and founder of Milan Obsession, Jovan, to be on the podcast. We managed to talk about a few things besides Donnarumma, including:   News of the Week: Suso, U21 Euros, U20 World Cup, FFP agreement, new team manager Mercato Update: new signings Donnarumma: renewal failure   Thanks again to Jovan for funneling his anger into intelligent conversation and for helping me to not break something while recording.

The sale of the club drastically changed Milan’s finances. But this season put Milan back in black in a footballing sense as well. With a positive season, a Supercoppa trophy, a sixth place finish, and thus a third round Europa League qualifying spot. And as if the season wasn’t enough to smile about, we are already making some very exciting signings in the mercato, too. So on every front, Milan are back in black. It’s difficult to imagine such an epic podcast without the brilliant Pete. You can follow him on Twitter @PDAcquaviva. With so much going on, we had to pare down our discussion to: News of the Week: King of Rome, New kits, Chinese restrictions, Gattuso, Donnarumma honors Season Update: reviewing recent matches and season results Player Review: discussing player performances and futures Mercato Update: sifting through the rumors Thanks again to Pete for helping to sum up an interesting season. Follow him on Twitter to find out when he writes again @PDAcquaviva.

With an injured mentality, there’s a lot to be down about. But we managed to find things that are much more frightening. It was too easy to jump on the sunshine and rainbows train after the close of the sale of the club, and the performances on the pitch since then have pushed people too far. Reality is not as pretty, but there are still things to be happy about (like Inter’s shambolic season.) Also, we discovered the answer for everything. In good times and in bad, I can always count on Francesco for good conversation about Milan. You can follow him on Twitter @FrancescoPetra8. Recording after the Roma defeat, we chatted about: News of the Week: Inzaghi, communications, Milan Ladies, VAR, Ancelotti, Serie A racism, a visit from managemen Season Update: reviewing recent matches The Elliott Fund: why they took a gamble on Milan The Summer Mercato: sifting through the rumors Derby at Casa Milan: travel report Coming Up: upcoming matches to watch for Thanks again to Francesco for a great conversation

After eleven months of uncertainty, the sale of Milan finally closed. The 31 year legacy of Berlusconi is over. But this new ownership raises as many questions as it brings answers. And speaking of answers, after Inter came into the Derby with a two point lead at halftime, Milan’s defenders came back with two goals of their own to answer. So recording right after that match, you can imagine what kind of conversation this was. To discuss the massive changes at Milan, I needed a massive Milan fan, so of course I asked Michelangelo. You can follow him at @mkidj on Twitter and also on Snapchat at mkidj to find more wisdom. Find out what we chatted about: News of the Week: new kits, new Milan babies Season Update: reviewing Palermo and Inter matches Sale of the Club: finally, actual news! Club Finances: questions and answers about club finances Coming Up: upcoming matches to watch for Thanks again to Michelangelo for the great postmatch conversation. Follow him on Twitter @mkidj also mkidj on snapchat. I

Uncertain performances on the pitch and an uncertain future have left much to the imagination. With a Derby on the horizon and a European spot becoming less likely with every unconvincing performance, hopes are starting to fade on the pitch. Similarly, off the pitch the newest closing date seems more likely than ever, but only because of a massive loan that brings more questions than answers. All of it adds up to all new levels of uncertainty. In times of uncertainty, I like to find wisdom, so of course I turned to Jovan for some much needed wisdom. He is the co-founder of Milan Obsession and always has some great perspective to offer. So we talked about some of the bigger issues at Milan right now, including: News of the Week: Brocchi in the news, Silvio’s priorities, Summer fun, young player news, TV rights, Abate’s injury, bad news Season Update: reviewing the matches to date Sale of the Club: updates, news, forecasts Coming Up: upcoming matches to watch for Thanks again to Jovan for sharing his wi

I’m not gonna lie, this is not a positive podcast. If you’re not already taking any Milan-induced antidepressants, you probably should talk to your doctor before you listen to this one. Or at the very least buy stock in acohol. The club has sunk to new depths each year for the last four and a half years, and just when you think it couldn’t get any worse, it does. With the latest failure to complete the sale of the club, you’re going to need a lot of Prozac to continue to support Milan. Luckily, David was here to save the day and give us hope. He is the best scout in the world, he’s well-versed in Milan finances, and now he will be available via Twitter @DavidLSwan for your suicide prevention counseling needs. He blessed us with his wisdom in the following areas: News of the Week: Donnarumma’s big birthday, Berlusconi landmark, ICC Tournament, Inter fined by association  Season Update: reviewing the matches to date, meh midfield, quest for Europe Sale of the Club: predictions, history, and speculation C

Six years ago, Milan Obsession quietly came into existence as a humble little blog talking about Milan. Four years ago, the podcast was added. And now, in 2017, I think it’s clear that I will never stop talking about Milan. Ever. Like it or not, I took this chance to have a great chat about Milan to celebrate these milestones. You’re welcome. Some Milan fans are born, others become legendary, and my guest this time did both of those things. Vinny just escaped the paparazzi after his brilliant Red Card Weekly videos and now he is one of the admins for the Milan Club Montreal. After escaping the nonstop hounding by the press and the nonstop harassment from women, he was kind enough to chat with me about: News of the Week: Bonaventura extension, legends of Buffon, Berlusconi no show, Papa Vangioni, Oddo sacked Season Update: reviewing the matches to date Injuries: Milan’s walking dead Montella: assessing his performances to date Mercato Update: closing out Galliani’s epic mercato Sale of the Club: upd

 The podcast has freed itself, at least for one episode, from the closet in the basement which it has been hiding in. Because midseason. There’s just too much to talk about. From day to day news, a season update, talking about Montella and the squad, to the vast amount of mercato news. Oh yeah, and that little subject of the sale of the club. So take advantage of this temporary freedom and listen… for the sake of the podcast.  An epic return of the podcast required an epic guest. Which means Pete, of course. Anyone who has ever followed him on Twitter @PDAcquaviva knows what I am talking about. So in tackling the midseason mountain of dialogue, we discussed: News of the Week: Papa Bertolacci, Suso’s right arm, Milan Ladies moment in the spotlight, Lapadula virtuoso, FIFA’s bigger World Cup, the letter J Season Update: reviewing the matches to date Montella: Milan players who are representing The Squad: players on the training table Mercato Update: players on the training table  Sale of the Club: pl

Life is strange. Sometimes when things are going great on one front, they fall apart on another. For example Milan are doing so well and don’t look to be stopping soon, which is absolutely fantastic. On the other hand, Inter sacked De Boer, who was doing so well at keeping Inter in the bottom half of the table. So many lessons to be learned, so little time. But for today, rather than searching for “the Answer to the Great Question… Of Life, the Universe and Everything…” I have a very quick podcast for you….

During the International Break, there is time to reflect on how the season is going so far. As usual, it’s a mixed bag, even if the results are flattering to the performances. But the one thing that is obvious and everyone seems to agree upon is that Milan is getting younger. A lot younger. So many young players have been getting playing time, it’s actually very exciting. To help me discuss the young talent, I needed the best scout in the world, which is obviously David. You can follow the legend himself on Twitter @DavidLSwan. And while you’re there, let’s make sure that he gets the Director of Sport job instead of Mirabelli, so be sure to use the hashtag #DavidForDS. In between saving Milan from making a massive mistake, we also discussed: News of the Week: Milan taking over FIFA, Powered by Diesel, Golden Boy Award nominee, Papa Paletta, Milan average age, Milan fans holding strong, Milan Ladies won, Inter suck, Galliani announcement  Update Sale of the Club: latest updates Season Update: reviewing t

The season started, the mercato ended, there was an International break. Oh and there was big news about the sale of the club. So much to talk about, some good, some not so much. But amidst all of the news, the progress toward the sale of the club stands out the most, and gives fans a reason to hope. A new season calls for an important guest, so of course I turned to the President of the Curva Sud America, the legendary Francesco. If you want to be amongst the most important Milan fans, y ou must follow him on Twitter @FrancescoPetra8. This time around, we tried to touch on a lot of Milan news, including: News of the Week: Shevchenko speaks, Champions League changes, Milan Glorie, Gattuso’s back, Ciao Umberto Gandini, Milan Ladies honored by the Mayor of Milano, the wage report, Supercoppa news, Milan twins, Balo is back International Break: recapping Milan players who played  Season Update: reviewing the matches to date Mercato Wrapup: players in and out Injury Update: players on the training table

It’s hard to believe what has and hasn’t happened this summer. With a preliminary agreement finally in place, an unimpressive preseason, and a very light mercato, fans are left to meter their excitement with a large dose of reality. With the new season starting up before the physical transformation of the club and our team, it’s harder to be excited or optimistic about the first half of our season. I think most fans are watching as closely to see what happens off of the pitch with our transformation.  With so many changes and a new season on the horizon, I needed a big name guest, so of course I turned to the fantastic Gio of Rossoneri TV. Follow him on Twitter @RossoneriTV and be sure not to miss a single video by subscribing to his YouTube channel Rossoneri TV. He is also one of the admins for the Milan Club Montreal, so be sure to follow @ACMClubMTL. To catch up on all of the big news, we chatted about: News of the Week: Third kit debut, Forbes assessment, watch out for Gattuso, how did Boateng find a new

Whatever the opposite of news is, that’s where Milan is out. Everything is on hold until the sale of the club is resolved, one way or the other. And that date keeps getting pushed back and pushed back. Meanwhile, everyone else’s mercato is rolling on and our transfer targets are being signed one by one… by other clubs. Still, there are always things to talk about, so even if we’re all so stressed out, we’re still Milan fans… for now.  For my part in Milan’s commitment to youth, I found an awesome new guest who also hails from the West Coast here in the U.S. His name is Pierluca, and you should absolutely follow him on Twitter at @PierlucaCalcio. Despite our massive concerns about the club and all of our frustrations, we talked about: News of the Week: The Primadonna Curva Sud, new coaches, attention starved, Zapata’s surgery, Ciao Tassotti, new away kit, shut up Wanda, Serie A & Coppa Italia fixtures coming up Bordeaux Friendly: nothing to write home about Mercato News: youth players out Future of

A new coach is the start of a new era. How long that era will last largely depends on how much power Berlusconi is given, if the rumors of the club’s impending sale are true. But for now, it’s a new coach, a new season, and a new mercato. Nothing says new like revamping your website and club channel, too. But will Milan’s past come back to haunt them? Or will we finally change for the good? This week the spotlight is on one man, the one they call l’Aeroplanino, to see if he can get us back to winning ways. Speaking of winning ways, my guest this time was the legend himself, Vinny of @RedCardWeekly. You may also know him as one of the admins of the Milan Club Montreal. We discussed all things Montella plus: News of the Week: The Honorable Honda, new look to Milan media, expired contracts, update on the sale of the club Mercato News: Exits and new player International News: Players representing their national teams New Coach: looking at Montella  Thanks again to Vinny for the great convo. Follow @RedCar

In the mostly quiet lull that we are all forced to endure while negotiations for the sale of the club continue, there isn’t a lot to talk about that is concrete. But there are a couple of little tournaments going on and a few things that are known. So give a listen and feel free to join in the conversation as we are waiting and speculating. For this podcast, I called upon the legendary cofounder of Milan Obsession, Jovan. If you are new to the blog, you missed out on his epic posts here, but at least you can listen to is brilliant wisdom now: News of the Week: Dumb things, Inter ahead again, negotiation update, Berlusconi’s health, Youth team win, I get to see Donnarumma Former Player News: so many ex-Milan players International News: players representing their national teams Mercato News: contract extensions Milan’s Next Coach: what should Milan be looking for? Thanks again to Jovan for the fantastic chat in the midst of so much unknown. And good luck with that Euro bet.    

If you thought there wasn’t a lot going on at Milan, think again. Or I guess I should say that if you thought things were bad at Milan, think again. They can always get worse. Especially with the season over, the only entertainment is Berlusconi’s concept of a joke. And it’s more criminal than entertaining. With so much at stake but so little actually happening, many are questioning their fanship, and with good reason. For those of us who are still loyal to the club, we realize that the M in Milan is for masochism. Longsuffering fans are getting harder to find, but when you find them, you know they are the best of fans. For this podcast, I found one of the best, Gio from Rossoneri TV. You can follow him on Twitter @RossoneriTV and his YouTube channel, rossoneritv.com is a must subscribe and watch. Also help him rebuild the official Milan Club Montreal by following @ACMClubMTL. Sifting through the good and the bad post season, we talked about: News of the Week: Cesare Maldini honored, Abbiati disappointed, ne