‘Sound of silence’ for troubled Milan as Juve approach the Champions League

MILAN:

AC Milan received the silent treatment from thousands of disappointed fans during Sunday’s thrilling 3-3 home draw with Genoa as their disappointing Serie A season comes to an end.

Fans unfurled banners calling for improvements to the squad, while die-hard ultras remained silent in protest in a match that ended after Malick Thiaw’s 87th-minute own goal gave mid-table Genoa a point.

The entire Curva Sud section of the San Siro, where the ultras stand and hosts thousands of supporters, missed Thiaw’s unfortunate error as it emptied shortly after Olivier Giroud had fired Milan 3-2 up in the 75th minute.

A banner was left behind that simply read “the sound of silence.”

The protest dampened the atmosphere for what was effectively a dead rubber, with second-placed Milan already guaranteed Champions League football and promoting Genoa safe from relegation.

The fans’ discontent stems from the 18 points that separate Milan from champions and local rivals Inter, who secured a 20th league title by winning their local derby a fortnight ago.

That, and his Europa League exit from fellow Italians Roma, has angered supporters and the media alike, Stefano Pioli, the man who led Milan to the 2022 Serie A title, will be sacked at the end of the season after almost five years at the helm. .

“The fans chose this form of protest, you have to respect it,” Pioli told DAZN.

“Our fans have always been hugely valuable over the years, they will have their reasons for the way they protested.”

Pioli’s Genoa counterpart Alberto Gilardino is secure in his place after guiding his side to a happy return to the top flight.

Gilardino, who won the 2006 World Cup with Italy as a player, said on Saturday that he had reached a verbal agreement with Genoa to extend his contract beyond the end of this season.

Italy’s oldest football club and nine-time Italian champions, Genoa are 12th in Serie A and have performed above expectations this season.

“I want to continue at a club that gave me the opportunity to train and do a good job,” Gilardino told DAZN.

Down in Milan, the battle for Champions League football continued as third-placed Juventus drew 1-1 in a highly entertaining clash with Roma in which each team created plenty of chances and hit the woodwork.

Juve moved five points behind AC Milan into a place in Europe’s top club competition after Gleyson Bremer’s 31st-minute header equalized Romelu Lukaku’s opener.

With five Serie A spots available for the Champions League, Massimiliano Allegri’s side are nine points ahead of sixth-placed Atalanta, who are at relegated Salernitana on Monday and also have a game in hand.

That extra game for Atalanta leaves Roma in danger of missing out as a win at Salernitana would move Gian Piero Gasperini’s side above Roma into fifth place on goal difference.

Roma travel to Atalanta next weekend for a crucial clash after both sides complete their respective Europa League semi-finals with Bayer Leverkusen and Marseille on Thursday.

Earlier, Verona boosted their hopes of safety with a 2-1 home win over Fiorentina that moved them five points clear of the relegation zone.

Darko Lazovic’s early penalty and Tijani Noslin’s strike just before the hour mark were enough for Verona to beat Fiorentina and move up to 14th.

Udinese, just inside the bottom three, can escape the drop zone if they beat Napoli on Monday.