Steve declares AC Milan's season a failure without the Scudetto, despite potential cup wins.
This episode of the Milan Weekly Podcast features hosts Stevie P and Vinny T analyzing AC Milan's season and the upcoming Coppa Italia final. The hosts are passionate Milan fans who regularly dissect the team's performances and broader club issues. Their discussion centers on evaluating the current campaign and the significance of winning a trophy.
The episode opens with a recap of Milan's 3-1 league win over Bologna, noting performances from Luka Jovic and Alex Jimenez. Stevie P argues the team has a recurring problem of conceding first before "remember[ing] how to play soccer again." The primary focus is the Coppa Italia final against Bologna, with Stevie P emphasizing that winning this cup is the only thing that counts for the season now. He contrasts Bologna's inexperience in finals with Milan's history, mentioning Bologna's owner, the Saputo family, and their other club, CF Montreal.
A major debate arises over whether a season with a top-four finish, a Supercoppa Italiana win, and a potential Coppa Italia would constitute a failure. Stevie P insists it would be, as the absolute priority must be winning a 20th Serie A title to surpass rivals Inter Milan. He references a quote from Arsène Wenger about fourth place becoming "almost like a trophy" to criticize a mentality he associates with clubs like Arsenal and Tottenham. The hosts then review other Serie A results, discussing implications for the top-four race and relegation battle, mentioning teams like Juventus, Lazio, Atalanta, and Venezia.
A significant portion analyzes a recent interview with former Milan executive Zvonimir Boban. Stevie P appreciates Boban's authenticity as a "Milanista al cuore" but criticizes some comments about previous ownership, specifically the Elliott Management hedge fund. Boban's claim that the club is trying to turn "fans into customers" resonates strongly with Vinny T. The hosts interpret the interview as confirming a lack of a clear sporting project at the club and allege internal power struggles led to Paolo Maldini's departure.
Boban also claimed Milan missed out on signing Dominik Szoboszlai and Dani Olmo for a combined 40 million euros, using funds from the sales of Suso and Krzysztof Piątek. The hosts express frustration over current transfer rumors, particularly regarding interest in Tijjani Reijnders from Manchester City. Stevie P states there is "no fucking number" that would make selling Reijnders acceptable to the fans. They also briefly discuss the curious case of striker Marko Lazetić, a Maldini signing who is reportedly not training with the team while still collecting his salary.
The tone is highly passionate, conversational, and opinionated, featuring frequent fan jargon and expletives. The style is a free-flowing debate between two dedicated supporters, blending match analysis with broader club criticism. This episode will deeply appeal to AC Milan fans seeking passionate, unfiltered discussion about the club's current state and future direction. Listeners who prefer neutral, analytical soccer commentary or are not interested in AC Milan's internal dramas may want to skip it.
