Kevin Farriuga considers why, if at all, the Calcio community should put animosity aside and unite behind Milan in Athens.

Less than a year ago, Italian football was greatly damaged thanks to the Calciopoli scandal, which washed away much of the post World Cup euphoria.

Then, the violence that marred Serie A left the image of Italian football in tatters. Italy subsequently lost the rights to host the 2012 European Championships. All that notwithstanding, Milan have made it to Athens, to the final of Europe's greatest club competition!

The last twelve months have been a black mark on Calcio, and following, viewership and ratings have all plummeted. Fans have had little better to do than slander each other. The spirit of football has gone down the drain.

Now, the big question is: can Milan reignite the passion for Italian football, in the country of the reigning world champions, by winning in Athens in two weeks' time?

Juventus were crowned winners of the Serie A for the 2nd year in succession, only to be stripped of their title because of match-fixing. In July, a verdict was passed, later appealed, which saw them demoted to Serie B. Fiorentina, Reggina and Lazio started their season with a points deduction, as did Milan.

A late appeal handed them the Rossoneri lifeline - a chance to participate in Europe, deducting just enough points to still leave them in 4th spot the previous season. Eyebrows were raised all over over Europe at how fickle the legal system in the country was, irrespecitve of whether or not the initial judgement was fair.

Then, looking at the current Serie A table, one would think that Inter were the same team of 1964/65, with a 18 point advantage over the 2nd placed Giallorossi. The last time a team won the Serie A with 5 games still to spare, was back in 1956-57, when Fiorentina also made it to the final of the European Cup. However, Inter crashed to Valencia this time, yet another black mark on Calcio.

Could the runaway leaders of Italy - so strong that nobody dared come close - be so inept, struggling against a team fourth in La Liga? Next Roma crashed to a 7-1 defeat at Old Trafford. Shameful for Italy! The only other time Manchester scored more than 4 goals was in their opening Premiership game against Fulham. Were 2nd placed Roma on the same level as teams battling relegation in the Premiership?

The only Italian team still able to contend were Milan, who shook off a miserable start, and became 'Milan' just as time was beginning to run out. It all turned around on that glorious night in Munich, and there has been no looking back.

Suddenly, there is the possibility of an Italian club reigning supreme in Europe. Had it been an all-English final, it would have most likely fuelled the idea that the Premiership is the greatest football league in the world, stamping the dominance of English teams upon the European theatre. However, Milan did what Roma couldn’t, and showed that the 7-1 defeat was but an aberration, and that Calcio was down but not out.

Will Milan be able to re-ignite the passion for Italian football by winning the Champion’s Trophy? Time will tell! But can Italian teams root together in support of Milan, or is the rivalry between them too great? Should Italy stand as one for glory, or should domestic animosity reign supreme at this juncture? That you must decide!


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No need for extra support. It's well known that Milan fans are the best in the world

Good article. Totti and Spalletti have already come out and said that they will be supporting Milan in the final, so hopefully the rest of the country will as well. Don't expect any support from Juventus or Inter though.

Yeah, those two are jealous of us, but the rest of italy i am assuming will be rooting for us

My father is an Inter fan and he has come out and said i hopr Milan thrashes Liverpool, to show that Italy really is the best place to play

The artcile was written by a maltese guy, I always knew we where an intelligent breed

".. we where an intelligent breed" or ".. we were an intelligent breed"

Javier Zanetti has been quoted as saying it would be difficult to cheer for Milan in the finals. No big surprise there.

I almost half expect support from Juve though, if only to further annoy the Merda.

you p!ssed all over my point there

I'd fully expect all Italian teams, even Argentina, to support Milan in this final.

I supported Inter when they made the UEFA Cup final a few years back, I always support Italian teams in European competition.

Argentina and other Italian teams/fans should support us back.

I think it's going to be hardest for Juve though, but surely they'd hate us more than Liverpool?

Actually Juve fans do tend to support us in the final unlike Inter fans who resent us for finding a way to overshadowing them even in a year in which they ruled in the league for the first time in 18 years

I always want Inter to fail in every competition

I just went on to an English Inter forum to see what they think of us being in the final. They all pretty much seem against us, ahh well, I suppose I'm just more respectful than all of their supporters.

they should unite because we have the mission to destroy antifootball aka liverpool xDD

anyway, I would never ever support Inter xDD

I'd rather have Inter win the next 10 Scudetti than Liverpool win a CL ever again.

lolz dunno that's hard to say...
I am spoiled and don't want both to happen

Italy should back Milan ... For a single reason, that the CL would either go to Italy or England. That is enough of a reason for a whole nation to back a team