AC Milan will face Juventus in the next few days at the San Siro stadium. Eleven and a half years ago (also at the San Siro) there were crucial points for the championship at stake, Allegri was on the sidelines, and Ibra watched from the stands, as may happen again on Sunday evening. VAR was not there, as it arrived in Serie A in 2017, but the goal line technology introduced in 2015 would have been enough to confirm that Muntari's goal was valid. Too "late" in this case as well, and it gives a rather clear idea of how long San Siro had to wait to host a classic like this worthy of its history: a Milan-Juve for the title has been missing for a lifetime.
The head-to-head of 2011-12 seemed like a passing of the torch, but it was the beginning of a dominance: Conte's Juve snatched the title from Allegri's Milan and began to win consistently. With Antonio, with Max, who moved to Juventus in 2014, and then with Sarri: 9 consecutive titles, unmatched by anyone else. Milan, to celebrate a title again, waited for eleven years, went through three ownership changes and eight coaches before returning to square one, with Ibra back in the team, but with a chasm between past and present in terms of the club's financial and sporting management. Today, Milan is a club with its finances in order, returning to closing its books with a profit after 17 years of losses and with a turnover of over 400 million euros: never so much in the club's history. After the 2022 title, they reached the Champions League semifinals, while Leao and his teammates approach Sunday's game vs the Bianconeri from the pinnacle of Serie A: they are first with 21 points while Juventus are third at 17 points.
Juventus is chasing in the standings and also in the financials: after the escalation that began in 2011-12, the two Champions League finals (2015 and 2017) and the Ronaldo signing (2018), the Bianconeri have never taken a more sustainable path like they did this summer, lowering the wage bill and acquiring only one player: Weah for 10.3 million. But it's just the beginning: the 2023 budget closed with a deficit of 123.7 million, a significant improvement compared to the -238 in 2022.
During Li Yonghong's Chinese interlude, Milan spent over 200 million euros in the market, including the acquisition of a Juventus player, Bonucci, who remains the most expensive Rossoneri signing: 40 million euros. Elliott's arrival changed everything: sustainability became the keyword.
The American fund renewed the management and revolutionized the technical area, placing it in the hands of the great former players, Leonardo, Boban, and Maldini, who won the title as a player and as an executive.
AC Milan rebuilt itself by betting on a mix of young talents and experienced champions, from Leao and Ibra to Hernandez and Giroud, a philosophy also upheld by Cardinale and RedBird, owners since 2022. This summer, the final turn: after the departure of Maldini and Massara, the market is managed by a working group. CEO Furlani at the helm, with Moncada and D'Ottavio alongside him.
