Just by looking at their names is like watching The Grudge, to actually see their faces in a line-up is like watching The Grudge in 3D glasses.

Berlusconi, the son: "They want us to sell our club ?! That is impossible and also stupid!"


Piersilvio Berlusconi is mad at the fans who put up an internet page with signatures for the sale of the club by his father, because of the short spending of the club which Galliani is currently echoing in the media.

Piersilvio, vice-president of mediaset, said to Gazzetta: "This is stupid, Milan wont be sold, it is a love relationship between Milan and the Berlusconi family!" As he also sent a message to the fans, "They have such short memory. We are currently in a much better position than we were in before a couple of seasons, they must not forget where Milan stand in the world podium. I would expect them to have more faith than this!" fumed Piersilvio.

Fiori has been assigned to the Gkeeping coaching team for the 08-09 season

05/07/2008 01:47

Inter To Be Penalised After Snubbing Friendly Tournament

Inter have pulled out of the friendly Trofeo Birra Moretti tournament and they will now face a penalty from the organisers.

According to Calciomercato, the Nerazzurri pulled out after Jose Mourinho requested his side not to take part in the friendly three team tournament traditonally involving Napoli and Juventus and Inter.

Inter have played in every edition since the Moretti trophy began in 1997. The side from Milan won it last season but they will not be defending their champions status this term.

Milan are likely to take their place this year and the tournament will be played at the Stadio San Paolo in Naples on August 21.

The Nerazzurri will now have to pay a penalty to the tournament's organisers for pulling out right at the death.

The friendly competition attracts sell out crowds and each game lasts 45 minutes. If there is no winner after the time is up, the game is decided via a one on one shoot out, similar but different, to penalties.

Reports in Italy suggest that Mourinho is drawing a hard line and he is not too keen on playing fun-for-all friendly tournaments.

Silvano Ramaccioni leaves the management of Milan, and Vittorio Mentana comes to take his place






A lot of changes are happening within the Milan team, after the changes that were done to the Gkeeping technical team, now another change is occuring with the technical team as the official site claims.

Starting from next season, Silvano Ramaccioni will take up a position as a club official for the local competitions. And he will leave his previous post as the manager of the team, to Vittorio Mentana.

Silvano Ramaccioni will remain with Milan, as he cant do without the Diavolo. He is the one who created the position 'manager of the team' which many teams later implemented. He is a Rossonero since 18th of May 1982. He has a surplus of emotions and experience that are unmatched in all the seasons which he spent with Milan, and his charismatic way of linking the team with the club, the coach and the players, the Milan faithfuls and the visiting fans. He is respected by all the opponents and athletes world wide. From the start of next season, he will act as a Milan official who will accompany the team in all the local competitions.

His heir will be Vittorio Mentana, who will still keep his position as the manager of relations within the club. While Ramaccioni will still remain with the Rossoneri family, but with a new post.

Ramaccioni or 'Rama' as the players like to call him, has all the respect of the Rossoneri after all that he has won with them; as he won with Milan 7 Scudetti, 5 Italian Super cups, a coppa Italia, In Europe 5 Champions League trophies, 5 European Super cups, and 3 Club World Cups.

I'm not sure if you guys have noticed him, in the pic he is the one holding the paper ...

He is always at Milan games, sitting on the bench with the players.

..we posted the news simultaneously..

Blog: Bologna buyout

Italian football needs new investment, but James Horncastle wonders whether Bologna’s recent sale to an American will actually change Serie A for the better

What has been the most important event in Italian football this summer, I asked myself last week. Wading through Italy’s sports newspapers you’d be forgiven for thinking it was the demise of the Azzurri, but then I came across a story hidden away in the back pages that has the potential to change calcio as we know it – the sale of Bologna to an American, Joe Tacopina.

Great, I thought, here’s another Italian club looking to improve, modernise and bring itself into the 21st Century, following the model pioneered in the Premier League. Tacopina is known as the ‘King of the Courtroom’, the man who wins cases that can’t be won. But can he help newly-promoted Bologna to the Scudetto, something they haven’t achieved since 1964?

According to reports, his company Tag Partners has made £25m available to buy new players ahead of next season. That should help Coach Daniele Arrigoni keep the Rossoblu in Serie A. Bologna, however, are not the new Chelsea. Their new owners do not appear to have deep enough pockets to outbid even Italy’s middleweight teams – Fiorentina and Palermo have already doled out over £30m apiece this summer, while Inter and Milan bide their time.

So what does Tacopina see in Bologna? Does he plan to redevelop the Rossoblu’s 83-year-old stadium, which is owned by the council and costly to maintain? Doubtful. The council treat the Renato Dall’Ara as a heritage sight, making it impossible to refurbish with moneymaking entities like hospitality boxes and leisure facilities. Plans to move the club out of the city – so far out, in fact, that Bologna would be closer to Imola – have proved unpopular and unworkable. That, in the short term at least, rules out a self-sustainable and profitable Bologna.

How committed is Tacopina? He was repeatedly linked with a swoop for Roma before the Bologna deal went through. So much so, that he was pictured holding a Giallorosso scarf on arriving in the capital. That has added to the scepticism of Bologna’s fans who think Tacopina has bought a Serie B club only to sell it as a Serie A one for a tidy profit. It’s difficult to see how else he can make good his investment, with a new stadium and collective TV deal still years away.

Serie A needs not just new money and faces but new ideas just as it did in the mid 1980s if it is to get back to its best. While Tacopina is welcome, I doubt he’ll bring about a sea change in Italian football. Juventus, meanwhile, are doing just that, adopting an English model of stadium development and merchandising which, I believe, will see them open a gap between themselves and the rest of the pack.

Berlusconi: "Ronaldinho ?! Not the player who brings thrills to my heart!"


Piersilvio Berlusconi, son of Milan owner Silvio Berlusconi invited the paper 'Gazzetta dello Sport' for dinner in his home before being interviewed by them about Milan and their summer mercato.


upon the arrival of the vice president of mediaset, he started joking with Ale Franz (spell) before dinner. Ale said: "Football entertains me." Piersilvio replied: "Which team do you support?" Ale replied: "inter." Piersilvio: "I though you said football entertains you?" and they started to laugh.



Q. Who will arrive to Milan ?

Piersilvio: "I don't know, I am a realistic person. As a fan I do not feel excited about certain names being linked to Milan, I would have been bad in my role if that is how I thought! I think Milan is fine, the club has good players, we have to upgrade our plans for a future with Kaka', Pirlo and Pato, and with this we wont be bad."


Q. You are never really excited about Ronaldinho, are you ?

Piersilvio: "I say this again, Ronaldinho's arrival wont bring thrills to my heart."


Q. Okay, if we said that Milan would bring any of: Etoo, Adebayor or Ronaldinho ?

Piersilvio: "The Brazilian plays as a second forward, which is in a different position: As it seems everyone wants the player who costs more without thinking if the team is in need of such a player or not .. Me, as a fan of Milan am no different, I prefer if Milan was to bring in a player it should be a pure striker."


Q. You dream ?

Piersilvio: "C.Ronaldo, but this is dull and stupid as it wont happen unless football reaches it's end in this world."


Q. Another dream ?!

Piersilvio: "The Spaniard."


Q. Torres ?

Piersilvio: "No, David Villa: we are just talking about fanatcalcio, as the prices are too exaggerated."


Q. Kaka' said that he still would like to play alongside Ronaldo ..

Piersilvio: "The situation depends on Ronnie, his mental, physical and the amount of determination that he has to get over this."


Q. A central defender which would bring calmness to the team.

Piersilvio: "yes that is true, but I assure you that it is best to spend the money on beautiful project instead of spending it on individual names."


Q. Some fans have started an internet website to collect signatures, to ask your father to sell the club.

Piersilvio: "That's stupid. Milan wont be sold, because it's a part of our hearts."


Q. What does that mean to the fans ?

Piersilvio: "That they have such short memory. We are better than all the rest in the past years, they must not forget our last triumph with the Club World Cup. Shame on them, they should have more confidence!"


Q. But that all disappeared after inter showed it's strength in the championship.

Piersilvio: "They had a good run, but football has it's moments."


Q. What are the beautiful moments which you remember during these difficult times ?

Piersilvio: "We are fine, we have brilliant players for the future, Kaka', Pirlo and Pato."

Piersilvio: "yes that is true, but I assure you that it is best to spend the money on beautiful project instead of spending it on individual names."

Costacurta to Gazzetta: "Ancelotti has an unbelievable ability in managing the team!"


The paper, Gazzetta dello Sport interviewed Milan's assistant coach for the first team, Alessandro Costacurta after graduating with a masters degree in coaching.



Q. What was your feeling before the exams ?

Billy: "During the night I was tense, and I used to wake up real early, but after starting my thesis I started to feel in love with what I was doing, I talked about sports psychology, I wanted to be present myself in the best possible way before certain individuals Whom expect many things from me."


Q. What did you learn in your studies ?

Billy: "Human Resource Management, I was always interested in it. And I started studying it under the guidance of the Milan technical team, as Ancelotti has an unbelievable ability in managing the team!"


Q. Do you feel ready to coach now ?

Billy: "I want, of course. I am so eager to start in the middle of the pitch coaching my players, but that is not an easy task and as they say, it doesn't happen that easily."


Q. Why ?

Billy: "A lot of club presidents have their reservation in depending on a coach with minimal experience, my wife Martina will be with me always as I don't want my son Achille to grow up away from me. So if I was a coach, I would be coaching close to home."


Q. What will be your first message to your first team ?

Billy: "I picture it a lot, I remember that with Sacchi as he used to say: 'I will surprise you.' I was always studying and prepare myself for anything, even with my first even meeting with Martina, I used to imagine the first word I would say to her. I think it is difficult to create surprises like Sacchi, but I believe that such things come by themselves after preparing for them in the best possible way."


Q. Have you told your son that you have become a coach ?

Billy: "In his case the change is minimal, in Achille's case the change will be from two things: seeing me more often and he can come back home in an inter shirt."


Q. What is the most difficult thing on a coach ?

Billy: "To make everyone happy and to try to get everyone to participate."


Q. Mourinho is enjoying himself now ?

Billy: "He is a very intelligent man, after his introduction speech, he became my second idol, right behind Ancelotti."


Q. What is the tactical message that Europe created ?

Billy: "If you have great players, play on their characteristics, if not, then make your team play fast."



Thank you Billy and good luck.

06/07/2008 12:55
Reports: Drogba Agrees To Join Inter

According to confidential sources in Italy, Didier Drogba has agreed to move to San Siro to join Inter Milan.

Chelsea striker Drogba has been strongly linked with a transfer away from Stamford Bridge for several months now, and he has been widely tipped to leave as he searches for a new challenge.

For a long time Milan had been the favourites to snap up the Ivory Coast international, however they all but withdrew their interest last month.

It had been looking increasingly likely that the 30-year-old would end up staying with Chelsea, however according to confidential sources in Italy, Drogba will be moving to San Siro after all, only not with Milan, but with city rivals Inter.

The Nerazzurri have recently appointed Jose Mourinho as their new coach, who is well known to have a fantastic relationship with Drogba from their time together at Chelsea.

Sources say that Drogba has already agreed a move with Inter, and that all that is required to complete the deal is for a transfer fee to be sorted. The Ivorian could be included in the same deal that will see Frank Lampard end up at the Stadio Meazza.

In order to make way for Drogba, Inter will offload Hernan Crespo, and possibly Victor Obinna, who is set to arrive from Chievo Verona.

Hmh,...I hope this is not true. Drogba in Serie A will be very dangerous.

But it does frustrate me a bit how easy it looks for Inter to close down big deals.

IMO Drogba is a true winner. This is a deal that goes above the regular Inter transfers that usually cost them much but bring little. It's not like the Paul Ince or Robbie Keane deal. This is really dangerous.

Galliani to Stampa: "I cant understand the fans disagreement on Milan's mercato!"




After the fans revolt on Milan's movement in the football market, La Stampa gave an exclusive interview with Adriano Galliani to find out about the latest on the market.



Q. Galliani, do you have something to say to the fans who are collecting signatures in order to ask Berlusconi to sell the club ?

Adriano: "I say those fans should know full well that Berlusconi is after Adebayor and Ronaldinho, without him I don't know what the fate of Milan would be, even without qualifying for the Champions League the president has decided to strengthen the squad, even if the club has a deficit of 50MM Eur. And it would have been worse if not for the sponsors, which could have taken the deficit to 70MM Eur. Before Berlusconi, we were in Serie B, we started increasing the managerial charges and spend a lot more than any team at that time in recruiting without changing much of the fixed assets that we had."


Q. So there wont be any big transactions ?

Adriano: "On the contrary, we have a gap between the expenses and the income of about 50MM, and Kaka' can clear that leaving 3MM, and if we count Pirlo then we would reach 0MM, and even with such a solution we wouldn't let them move! Doesn't that translate to love ?!"


Q. Is it difficult to keep both Kaka' and Pirlo ?

Adriano: "In Kaka's case there was a gigantic offer from Chelsea, also there is more than one offer for Pirlo, and no one can neither Pirlo nor his agent to ask for an increase in salary. Milan in the past 21 years with Berlusconi followed the same philosophy and politics, always, building a strong team then depending on it while maintaining it and keeping a keen eye on the strengths of the team without loosing any key elements. And the results are there for all to see: 21 years we were crowned 26 times, 13 in Italy, 13 outside of Italy, and also 16 2nd place finishes; and dispite all of this, those fans still complain."


Q. They are scared of inter's domination

Adriano: "Milan's gap had widened with inter when Milan concentrated of the Champions, but in the time between the 13th of Jan Milan collected 42 points from 21 games, which was equal to inters tally in that same period, all this without comparing the Champions League or the Super Cup or the Club World Cup, and I think that a lot of the inter fans would agree with me here."


Q. A lot of Milan fans are outraged by the way things are going in the market

Adriano: "It is unbelievable, I do not understand why they don't show any interest in the arrival of Borriello who scored 19 goals last season, and Pato who will play from the start of next season, Flamini and the world champion Zambrotta, and I hope as a fan that something new happens, but Milan is already well equipped."


Q. Is that something Adebayor who is showing more interest towards Barca

Adriano: "Adebayor costs a lot, just like Drogba or Ronaldinho would to Milan, but if he went to Barca its not because they are better but because they paid more. It is very difficult for us to compete with the current tax structure in Italy, last season Milan made an offer for Henry, an identical one to Barcas', but now he is able to gain 50% more than that because of the lenient tax laws in Spain. In the 90's we brought in Van Basten despite Barca's competition followed by Papin. I feel like we are less successful despite the wealth in experience that we have, we became less competitive, as Wenger put an important limit, he placed a 45MM Eur price tag on the player, and that type of figure is impossible for us."


Q. Is Ronaldinho's price better then ?

Adriano: "He is not in the plans for Guardiola, his price tag is not that big but the problem is with his monthly salary, for this transfer in particular to be feasible his price tag would have to be closer to zero."


Q. Is loaning him the best option ?

Adriano: "The issue is in the hands of Barca, as he refused the offer from Manchester City which was double what we have shown the player."


Q. In this situation, Ronaldinho's direction is towards Milan ?

Adriano: "Milan is preparing a team for the Scudetto, which we need to prepare the players so they can better understand each's role as we also need to focus on rotation, because we will also be participating in the UEFA cup."


Q. Pato is going to the Olympics, while Kaka' and Bonera wont ?

Adriano: "I say the same thing which I said to Blatter and Texera (spell) when they asked me to let Kaka' go, I can't follow two different policies, the under 23 National Team is doing well but the rest not so good, but the Olympics isn't a FIFA competition."


Q. Ronaldinho is in Dunga's roster for the Olympics in Beijing

Adriano: "Ronaldinho is under contract with Barcalona, had he been in Milan he wouldn't have gone."


Q. Even Inzaghi would have been delighted had he been granted to permission to participate 

Adriano: "Pippo's goals will be in Milan, on the occasion, and I am not in any ways criticizing Donadoni on this, but why didn't he take Pippo to the EUROs, he would have had a great tournament with Toni."


Q. Be frank, does the UEFA cup make you feel sad ?

Adriano: "It is the second time we have entered the UEFA cup in the past ten years, taking into account next season of course. And Milan had competed in eight Champions and won twice, all of Europe says Milan is the best when it comes to Europe, so why would I be sad ?"


Q. And what about this weak market, it isn't a good job that you are doing

Adriano: "Are you joking ? I have closed close to 40 deals, I haven't worked this hard in the mercato as I did this year!"

Dall'Argentina: Milan su Bergessio

Spunta un nome nuovo per l'attacco del Milan. Si tratta dell'argentino Gonzalo Bergessio (23), che milita nel San Lorenzo; secondo il quotidiano Olé i rossoneri sarebbero disposti a sborare 14 milioni di euro per acquistare il suo cartellino, che attualmente è per metà nelle mani del club e per metà di una società di procuratori. Peraltro l'agente del giocatore - secondo il presidente del club argentino, Rafael Savino - si troverebbe in questo momento proprio in Europa. Bergessio, che a gennaio era stato inseguito a lungo dall'Atalanta, recentemente era stato adocchiato dal Boca.[/b]

Adriano: "On the contrary, we have a gap between the expenses and the income of about 50MM, and Kaka' can clear that leaving 3MM, and if we count Pirlo then we would reach 0MM, and even with such a solution we wouldn't let them move! Doesn't that translate to love ?!"

Is he saying Pirlo is worth 3 Million??? I think I'm going to kill something...

You can't understand why we're disappointed? I think that comment alone, even without the BS you spurt out, is enough to annoy the fans.   

Ancelotti: "Today Milan, in two years time I want the Nationale!"





One of the most sought after coaches in Europe today, Carlo Ancelotti, gave an interview to 'La Stampa' newspaper. He talked about the rossoneri and about his hope and desire for the future to coach the Italian National Team.



Q. Ancelotti, Milan will go back to training on Wednesday: after a lot of beautiful promises, from Ronaldinho to Adebayor, until now you haven't bought a lot.

Carlo: "If a club brings in a 24 year old Flamini, a national team player Zambrotta, the third top scorer of Serie A Borriello, you would say that it had done something. But as it seems, Milan never does enough for you."


Q. The fans are very disappointed.

Carlo: "They are awaiting a big surprise after a not so great season. But we have to also keep an eye on the budget. Prices have shot up dramatically. When you have the rights to broadcast, and when the stadiums are privately owned, and when the mercato gets over these crazy price hikes, then you will get a good mercato, and if not then there wont be much movement in the mercato."


Q. Within a week, do you expect having Ronaldinho in Milan ?

Carlo: "If the price is right, since we have been on his trail for months."


Q. But in the night of the elections, it seemed as if he was already yours, was that a trap ?

Carlo: "Berlusconi clearly is above all this, that is for sure. Now we have to see if we can close the deal, and on which grounds."


Q. If you don't get a good forward, will you take the chance with the same front line as last season ?

Carlo: "We will have Pato from the start till the end, unlike last season where I only had two strikers from the start till December. And Inzaghi wasn't in his usual shape."


Q. Gilardino, would you consider him as a flop ?

Carlo: "Yes, a little bit. There was something negative going on, as he wasn't playing to his full potential. He could have done more!"


Q. Where did he go wrong ?

Carlo: "Technically he can't do well when he is paired up with another striker, and he needs to be the focus point of the attacking unit as a whole, and it is an impossibility for that to happen in Milan with players as versatile as Kaka' and Seedorf. Prandelli on the other hand will be able to get the most out of him by playing him the way he likes. I can also add that he was suffering from a lot of hatred in the San Siro. He is a sensitive lad: which is not something to look down upon, on the contrary it is a complement for someone to have such characteristics, but considering the experience he had he needs to learn how to be stronger a bit."


Q. With 26 years, can he possibly have gained the experience ?

Carlo: "In other countries, young players without experience seem to be doing fine. But the problem with our Italian football is that the new talents, when they first start to show up, they get a lot of pressure in return and they suffer. Take Paloschi as an example: He is very good, but to maintain a consistent level he needs a lot of time."


Q. He still would need for time, and his coach's courage.

Carlo: "The only courage I will have with the young players, will be when I pull out Pato. He is unreal!"


Q. Berlusconi, does he talk to you when Milan isn't doing so well ?

Carlo: "Galliani follows everything, while the boss I only talk to him a little."


Q. Seriouslly speaking Ancelotti: doesn't he give orders to anyone ?

Carlo: "Orders ?! No, I have never dealt with something of the sorts."


Q. If things don't go well with Lippi with the Nationale, after 7 years with Milan hasn't the time come ?

Carlo: "Maybe, but Milan is more of a home than a club, and one solid family, always when faced with difficulties I feel the love and the great respect which binds us. I have not gotten tiered nor am I bored. The motivation here isn't little, on the contrary they are very much evident, and we will prove that we are the team that never bows down!"


Q. How close were you in to Chelsea ?

Carlo: "Maybe I wanted that, but when Milan assured me that my place is safe I didn't even think twice."


Q. And the meeting with Abramovic in Paris, was Spaletti also there ?

Carlo: "Fabrication."


Q. It isn't right for you to lie, especially considering you are 50.

Carlo: "(laughs) I am trying to get close to this target but I am not suffering from my age. In my opinion age takes its natural trait and that is enough."


Q. In 2000, you said you would consider retiring soon.

Carlo: "That is true, but football still thrills me. The EURO tournament was filled with tension, motivation, and inspiration. I didn't get private tickets, but I followed the games like any fan would, even the Checz game: it was a beautiful experience, I witnessed passion and thrills."


Q. Are you aware that Aragonis at 70, went to train in Istanbul ?

Carlo: "I think that the money is there. That is also a factor for me, but the situation is different: I can coach Milan for less than I currently am paid. But I would have to say then and there, that I wouldn't be that interesting for them."


Q. And above that, what Mourinho gets from inter ..

Carlo: "Mourinho has the personality and the charisma. But I am not sure if the interistas will enjoy his style of play, which is always a more of a hands on approach than an entertaining display. But from my perspective, I don't think he can top anything Mancini did, maybe in Europe .."


Q. Were you surprised when you heard about Mancini ?

Carlo: "I was surprised, only from the way he was treated: there wasn't any contact between us, in Milan it is very difficult for such a treatment to occur."


Q. inter will change it's way of play ?

Carlo: "They don't have a true midfield general, except for cambiasso who most of the time isn't in the higher part of the pitch. He plays with his physical build and I expect him to continue playing that way. And I don't consider him weak, but he could suffer  with the toughest and fiercest teams."


Q. And in other team, you also have Juve ?

Carlo: "I liked Amauri a lot. The main focus here is if Juve get Xabi Alonso or not: there are no two midfield generals better than him, he can take the game play one level up. But Ranieri wont be able to enjoy white weeks (white weeks ?! ) after that."


Q. Without the Champions League, what will change ?

Carlo: "It wont be the way we play, we remain faithful with the way we play. There will be little changes with preparation, but we wont be like those who will show so much attention to the Champions and then look the other way once they are out. It hurts me a lot that we wont be in the Champions League, but on the other hand we are faced with a tournament which we have not won in the history of this club and we want to achieve that this year. The final will be in Istanbul: There isn't a saying that says going back to the same place makes you better, but I want to get some images out of my head!"


Q. If I told the people after two years you will coach the Nationale, will they call me mad ?

Carlo: "I wont exclude that, if Lippi was no longer coach. I think that the time has finally come for me to take the reigns of the Nationale, because I have gained a lot of experience: It would please me a lot to take the Nationale before such an important tournament. Even in Africa, why not ? It would be a beautiful thing, with our young players taking the field."