Chapter 135 A Grand Drama in a Wealthy Family
The unexpected turn of events in Maldini's farewell match and the chain reaction at the post-match press conference seemed to have set the stage for a grand drama starring AC Milan.
In the following months, AC Milan became the undisputed protagonist in European football, constantly trending on online media and dominating the front pages of most sports newspapers.
It wasn't until the summer break ended and Real Madrid's second Galácticos officially set sail that AC Milan's popularity was finally suppressed, but it still lingered for many years afterward.
On June 5th, AC Milan organized a parade of floats for its players, and in the evening, a grand double championship celebration was held at the San Siro.
Influenced by the South Stand banner incident, this day of glory, which should have been purely joyous, became tainted with too many Maldini-related elements. Fans participating in the celebration either wore Maldini's number 3 jersey or held banners supporting Maldini, expressing their respect and support for him.
Media outlets captured photos of Galliani with a dark expression.
On the same day, Chelsea officially announced the signing of Ancelotti, and AC Milan also announced that Leonardo would replace him as AC Milan's head coach.
On June 6, Maldini criticized AC Milan's inaction in an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport.
Following the incident involving the banner in the South Stand, AC Milan has remained silent, issuing no official statement, condemning the behavior, or making any move to support Maldini.
It was as if this had never happened.
This infuriated Maldini and further convinced him that the actions of the South Stand were inseparable from Berlusconi and Galliani's involvement.
"I am disappointed by the club's silence. I am saddened by the club's lack of any stance or official statement. The club should distance itself from these people."
On June 7, the day after Maldini criticized the club, Galliani quickly responded by publishing an open letter to Paolo Maldini on AC Milan's official website, defending the club's inaction.
The gist of it is: Dear Paul, I understand how you feel after the incident of the extreme fans insulting you. It was I who asked the club to remain silent, because silence is the best response and can bring things to an end.
The subtext is: Shut up, the club won't defend you.
The split between Maldini and Galliani has become public knowledge.
On June 8, the Spanish newspaper El País exposed Berlusconi's sex party scandal, posting five photos of Berlusconi partying with naked women on the front page and inside pages. One of the photos showed five semi-naked, sexy women surrounding Berlusconi, striking very seductive poses, which was very eye-catching.
These photos were taken in May 2008 by a photographer who lay in wait outside Berlusconi's villa in Sardinia, where a nude party was being held at the time. The total number of photos exceeds 700.
Because then-Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek was also photographed naked, this domestic scandal in Italy quickly spread into a scandal across Europe, directly shocking the world.
Berlusconi is in a terrible predicament.
On June 10, AC Milan's official website announced that Kaká had officially transferred to Real Madrid, and the club wished him all the best for the future.
The specific transfer terms were quickly announced in the media: Kaka's transfer fee was 65 million euros, the contract was for 6 years, and his salary was the same as when he was in Milan, at 9 million euros per year.
On June 11, Chelsea officially made an offer for Pirlo to AC Milan, while Berlusconi and Galliani remained ambiguous in their stance.
According to Tuttomercato, AC Milan is about to begin a purge of its veteran players, with key figures on the list including Pirlo, Seedorf, and Ambrosini. There is a strong possibility that Milan will release Seedorf on a free transfer to Chelsea, and Ambrosini's next destination is also Chelsea, with Ancelotti reportedly wanting to sign him.
In other words, Chelsea might sign all three of AC Milan's key midfielders in a package deal.
On June 12, AC Milan's official website released a statement claiming that it had received a death threat letter from an extremist fan group targeting Fino Cabrini, demanding that Fino leave AC Milan or face extreme measures. The death threat letter contained a bloody bullet.
The club called on extremist fans to remain calm and expressed concern for Fino's safety.
On June 13, several extreme fan groups in the South Stand issued a joint statement clarifying that the death threat letter was not made by people from the South Stand. They said they had a score to settle with Fino, but they would never use such an extreme method.
On June 16, Gazzetta dello Sport reported that Maldini visited Galliani's office in anger and had a big argument with him. The reporter outside the door clearly heard words such as "Cabrini," "transfer," "purge," and "split Milan," suggesting that Milan might be planning to sell Fino.
...
AC Milan's scandals keep coming one after another, keeping onlookers hooked. True to its reputation as a long-established club, even its scandals are incredibly fertile ground, shocking not only the sports world but also extending to the political sphere.
At this point, Milan fans were in complete chaos. Opening the newspaper every day was a test of their nerves. They were constantly on edge, fearing that some new explosive news would break out and make them feel dizzy.
The fans were like headless flies, not knowing what to do. According to the normal procedure, they should protest, but now they didn't even know what to protest against.
LOL, there's no way to protest against them all!
Just hang yourself!
In this high-profile drama surrounding AC Milan, Fino, who should also be one of the main characters, has remained silent, and the media can't even find a way to interview him.
The day after Milan's championship celebration, Fino, along with Pirlo and others, reported to the Coverciano training ground.
The 2009 South Africa Confederations Cup will kick off on June 14, leaving the Italian national team with little time to prepare.
Fino was already in South Africa when the death threat letter incident and the argument between Maldini and Galliani came to light.
Italian national team coach Marcello Lippi refused all media interview requests for the players, much to the dismay of the media who traveled to South Africa to report on the missed opportunity.
Fino's social media was also completely silent. He doesn't update very often to begin with, and his last post was celebrating AC Milan's Champions League victory. He didn't post anything about winning the Serie A title or the double celebration.
Fino remained silent, but he was well-informed. During the Confederations Cup in South Africa, he kept in touch with Mendes and was aware of all the recent news about Milan.
After the argument between Maldini and Galliani came to light, Maldini spoke to him on the phone.
"Berlusconi's political enemies seized this opportunity. The sex party scandal is escalating, and Berlusconi's position as prime minister is becoming increasingly precarious. Much of the recent turmoil in Milan is artificially created to divert public attention. To cover up one issue, they create more. Galliani is taking advantage of the situation. The death threat letter was definitely fabricated by Galliani himself. On the one hand, he used this big news to suppress Berlusconi's sex party scandal, and on the other hand, he took the opportunity to purge the locker room."
Maldini paused, sighed, and continued, "Fini, things have changed at Milan. I was too optimistic before. I thought the captaincy would smoothly transition from Massimo to you, and that the Italians would retain some say in the club. I didn't expect Galliani to be so ruthless in consolidating power. It seems he's planning to sell both you and Massimo. I spoke with him, but the outcome wasn't good. Lately, I've contacted many Italian legends and will continue to put pressure on Galliani through public opinion; hopefully, it will work."
Maldini felt deeply apologetic towards Fino. In his view, if he hadn't been so eager to show Fino his importance, and if Fino hadn't defended him after the South Stand banner incident, perhaps Fino wouldn't have been sold off by Galliani as one of his confidants.
Fino remained silent for a while before comforting him, "Paul, compared to more than ten years ago, the team's management philosophy has changed a lot. The captain's power can no longer extend beyond the locker room. This is an inevitable trend, and it's time for Milan to undergo a change. This may not necessarily be a bad thing for Milan."
“Since Galliani has made up his mind to completely strip the captain of his power to participate in club management, then selling me is inevitable, after all, I’m so excellent.” Fino said quipped, hoping to cheer Maldini up. “Massimo, on the other hand, might still have room for maneuver. The club should at least give its veteran players some dignity!”
Fino's contract renewal is not progressing smoothly, and the club's attitude is already clear. Perhaps due to public pressure, the club did not put Fino on the transfer list directly, but instead created the death threat letter incident to pave the way for Fino's departure.
Fino was ready to leave.
When he spoke out in defense of Maldini at the post-match press conference, he had already foreseen the outcome. Even if Galliani purged him as a close confidant of Maldini, he could not remain silent.
He doesn't regret his choice; it's reasonable for him to take responsibility for the outcome.
Moreover, the club's attitude towards Maldini disheartened him. This Milan was not worthy of Maldini's hard work and dedication, nor was it worth him inheriting Maldini's will and continuing to protect him.
"Let nature take its course, Paulo. Don't worry about me. I'm happy to be there for you in the final stages of your career. After you and Carlo leave, Milan will belong to Galliani and Leonardo. It's good for them to go out and try their luck. As for you, you should take a good rest too."
"Yes, I should get some rest," Maldini sighed.
After retiring, the club did not extend an invitation to him to join the management team. His argument with Galliani made him see the true colors of the club's management. He was powerless to stop Galliani's willful actions and went from being full of enthusiasm to being disheartened.
That's it. Maybe I really should take a good rest.
Milan is no longer the Milan it once was. Whether it's Fino or himself, leaving might not be a bad thing.
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Author's note: Apart from the content involving Fino, all other news articles can be found from that year. However, because Milan entered the Champions League final in the article, the timeline is pushed back a few days overall.
The feud between Galliani and Maldini was widely reported back then, and can still be easily found today. Maldini didn't receive the respect and dignity he deserved upon retirement, and was never invited back to Milan. Later, when Berlusconi's daughter Barbara entered Milan and competed with Galliani for power, she repeatedly used Maldini as a pretext to threaten and provoke him, demonstrating the extent of their animosity.
Some commenters previously raised questions, feeling that Galliani's sale of Fino was unreasonable, far-fetched, and not in Milan's best interest. I did not respond because everyone has their own interpretation.
In my opinion, the owner of Milan is Berlusconi, not Galliani. No matter how much power Galliani wields, he's still just a high-level employee. His decision to sell Fino was simply a matter of choosing his own interests over Milan's; it's just human nature.
Looking back on Fino's Milan career, it began with Maldini and ended with Maldini.
Finally, Fino won't cry as he boards the plane like an abandoned dog. Leaving Milan might make him a little sad, but the seed that once drifted into a crack in the wall and struggled to sprout and take root has grown into a towering tree, capable of thriving anywhere.
Thank you everyone for your support! [Let me see]
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