What mattered above all was the result. And it arrived, in rollercoaster days like never before. From the toasts for 125 years of the club, but with half-hearted “cheers” and even fewer bubbles, to the anger of the fans against the team and the club. Going by numbers not even worthy of minor Europe (yet), the increase in percentages of Allegri's return, and almost a team in the infirmary. Fonseca came out of the centrifuge once again. At the end of a very long evening, both for the Milan that for the Verona. On and off the pitch. While in fact theHellas changes hands, from Maurizio Setti to the Texan fund Presidio Investors (only the announcement is missing, new to the former Roma player Italo Zanzi), the Rossoneri communicate a new agreement between RedBird e Elliott. Gerry Cardinale's group should have completely repaid the loan in August 2025 by paying around 700 million euros. Instead, he paid 170 million, reducing the amount to 489 million and moving the loan deadline to July 2028. Off-field chapter closed. Inside, Fonseca goes straight straight away: another bench, initially, for Theo Hernandez (“he needs to find his best condition”). And in midfield there is Terracciano. “A versatile player, he can also play as a midfielder,” Moncada said when announcing him. Almost a year later, from his Verona to his Bentegodi, there he is. This is the Portuguese's latest display of ingenuity (“he has trained in that position many times”). Forced, too, given that the nine absent are almost all from the waist up: Morata, Jovic, Pulisic, Okafor, Musah, Loftus-Cheek, Bennacer, Florenzi (and even the baby goalkeeper Torriani, affected).
They become ten after half an hour: left flexor injury for Leao. Theo inside, Jimenez outside high. The patches are felt forward. But against what is practically the worst defense in Europe and which concedes two and a half goals per game (only Wolverhampton worse than the yellow and blue), a ball possession of 76% before tea leads to only 8 shots, essentially all weak. Little, too little. And the fans continue the protest (re)started last Sunday. Same line: from “this company doesn't deserve us” to “get your f……s out”. Without sparing anyone. That's it. The only jolt, from outside, in Terracciano's thrust touched for a corner by Montipò. Deeper chills earlier, when a reckless play by Chukwueze ignites Suslov's gust. But the second half opened with a bang, i.e. with a shot from Fofana's kiss (far from the first time) closed by the flash of a Reijnders who was always on the pitch and increasingly decisive (eighth goal of the season). For the moment, this may be enough.
