Milan, 20th September 2016, San Siro. The Rossoneri beat Lazio 2-0 at home in front of a poultry 26,464 attendance, this game once upon a time would have brought much more. Fast forward to August 3rd, 2017 and the difference was clear, 65,763 spectators flocked to see Milan’s return to the Europa League as they took on Romanian side CS U Craiova in their second leg. This giant of world football had risen from its slumber and proved once again that the craving for European football is veracious as ever.
Admittedly the setting was not glamorous for Milan’s return to the European stage. A 20,000-capacity stadium that lacked a roof and had a running track around it was certainly not Wembley in 1968 where the glorious victories began. In fact, whilst the Municipal stadium in Drobeta-Tunu Severin had none of the glamour befitting just a game, Craiova’s (temporary) stadium, 120km from the Serbian border, was no less significant.
The occasion was not lost on any Milanese fan as the game symbolised an end to an agonising three-year absence from European Football. Their last game was on the 14th March 2014, when, Atletico Madrid led by the ruthless Diego Simeone, decimated them 4-1 in the last sixteen of the Champions League last sixteen. Since then the fans have counted down each of the 1234 days they have been absent, many wondering at times if they would ever return.
Whilst all teams and fanbases would tell you that European glory walks hand in hand with the ethos of their club, not many can really have that connection and relationship with it. There is no doubt each club sees this as the ultimate goal but this is different, some club’s history in the competition means it is in their DNA. Benfica, Inter, Celtic, Ajax, Manchester United are but a few that have strong affiliations with the tournaments and there are many more but arguably only Real Madrid have more of an obsession with success at this level over Milan.
Milan after all have quite a trophy cabinet that shows of her European triumphs. This now contains seven Champions Leagues (European Cups), two Cup Winners Cup’s, Five Super Cup’s and three Intercontinental Cup’s. They have not however, won the Europa League and perhaps it is this that also is stirring the blood for this seasons competition. The game against the Romanian side in San Siro, may also have reminded people of the 1989 final against Steaua Bucuresti when Ruud Gullit and the lethal Marco Van Basten put on a show at the Nou Camp.
Admittedly, there have been changes in the summer that have also wetted the appetite of the fans. The Rossoneri Sport Investment Lux has arrived and with them a brand-new team. Whilst their arrival was not as brash as Silvio Berlusconi’s back in the day, it has been no less emphatic. This new squad was in action for Milan’s second Europa League qualifier this week when they cruised past Macedonia’s Shkendija, 6-0 with Andre Silva and Frank Kessie impressing with their performances. The fact that they face Crotone this weekend, still saw them field a strong side, such is the importance of this competition.
This season it feels like there will be a turning point as the heavy investment and the new direction may once again see scenes like Frank Rijkaard changing through against Benfica in Vienna, they will see the moments similar to when they thrashed Barcelona’s dream team and got revenge on Liverpool in Athens. They will also see many exits and many painful defeats, although will hope not as much as Istanbul but the point is they will be in these competitions, they will be competing and ultimately be complete, even if at first this isn’t the Champions League.
If there is a feeling that, targeting the Europa League is almost unbecoming for a club of Milan’s stature then you are perhaps missing the point. Milan are not in this simply to qualify for the Champions League through the back door, they want to win the competition for the competition’s sake. Being in the wilderness for these years has proved how much the club needs Europe and even more, how much European football needs Milan
