No doubt, Sunday night belonged to Mike Maignan. This time the Milan derby carries his signature. In 2022 he had tried to take center stage, but Giroud’s brace pushed him into the background. This time the French goalkeeper dominated from the first to the last minute, dragging Milan and standing as an impenetrable barrier against Inter’s attacks.
Thuram, then Lautaro and Calhanoglu, the three victims neutralized one after the other in what is shaping up to be his best performance for Milan. Mike is back to being Magic. And among the many reminders of that 2022 carved into the minds and hearts of the fans, there is also the decisive presence of the French goalkeeper.
When Olivier Giroud took center stage:
Same stadium, same atmosphere, same match. In the derby of “Giroud turned”, Mike denied a couple of Inter chances, pulling down the shutter several times and allowing Milan to reach halftime only one goal down, still in the match. From there, we know how the story went. Giroud turns, scores, and celebrates under the Curva Sud, changing the story of a derby and a season. He took the spotlight and overshadowed Mike’s work.
This time, Christian Pulisic scores, but the true protagonist is indeed Mike Maignan:
This time Christian Pulisic celebrated under that stand, with a Giroud-style goal that recalls the Frenchman’s first strike in that famous derby. This time, though, the decisive goal is nothing compared to the show produced by the goalkeeper. Across the entire match.
Minute 4. Thuram manages to redirect a dangerous header toward the far corner, Maignan reacts and pushes it away. Minute 38. This time Lautaro volleys a cross toward goal with his right foot, but the outcome does not change, Mike stretches and with the help of the post blocks a near-certain opener. But the main scene arrives in the 74th minute, when Hakan Calhanoglu steps up to the spot, his comfort zone, where he had missed only once before, in that same goal, at the same minute, on the same matchday, in a direct clash, but that is another story.
Now the story belongs to Mike Maignan. A mental battle, then a technical one. A test of nerves and provocations. Mike first bothers the Turkish midfielder as he places the ball, then stands in goal in a strange position, leaving almost three quarters of it open, as if inviting Calhanoglu to shoot there. Bingo. The whistle blows, number 20 shoots, Mike stops it. Pure ecstasy for Milan. A plunge into despair for Inter.
That save is already legendary. And if you felt that rush and you’re already thinking about betting on the next Milan masterclass (or on Magic Mike saving another penalty), the smartest move is to play only on the best platforms: with top odds and huge bonuses. Everything you need is available via sportwetten-test.
We saw a similar scene only a few weeks ago in Milan vs Roma. Same goal, same Mike, different opponent but also someone with few missed penalties in his career, Paulo Dybala. Penalty saved, clean sheet, and a 1-0 win in a direct clash. Ring any bells?
Now the crossroads, the match moves off the pitch:
Since Sunday night, Milan enjoy their goalkeeper, his magical derby night and everything that follows, but a hint of tension is justified. Maignan, who is Magic again, has a contract expiring in 2026, next summer. Despite an initial verbal understanding, everything seems to have faded. Talks have stopped, and negotiations have taken a sharp downturn and are now stalled.
A stalemate that, after months, must be seen as an alarm bell, perhaps even more. Milan must not lose their goalkeeper under any circumstances, least of all for free.
That would be a huge and unforgivable mistake. Interest from abroad is already there, as it was with Donnarumma. Inevitable. But the replay must be avoided. It is not Christmas every day. Back then the replacement for Gigio, who seemed irreplaceable, was Mike. The situation is painfully similar, but this time it must end differently.
The mission to renew his contract is close to impossible, but in football everything can change. Milan must try by any means. Getting that signature matters more than anything else. And it will not be as easy as saving a penalty. Maignan’s hands, worth more every day, must be used in another way this time. Not to stop a penalty or save a goal, but to sign a contract that would save Milan from a collapse beyond imagination. For everyone’s good.
Twice worthy of praise, Massimiliano Allegri. Skilled and experienced in guiding this Milan to second place with one defeat, suffered when beach umbrellas were still open and the air smelled of sun cream. Today the first Christmas lights are filling the streets, Milan sits in a spot full of prospects thanks to seven wins and four draws.
The renewal story has been almost theatrical. According to the goalkeeper’s entourage, let’s recall a story often reported and never denied by Milan. In autumn 2024, Giorgio Furlani and Mike Maignan reached an agreement for a renewal until 2028 worth 5 to 5.5 million per year. The Frenchman, in fact, never asked for 7 or 8 million euros, despite what is being spread writes Carlo Pellegatti for Milan News.
Then a deafening silence arrived, which likely broke some peace of mind for the goalkeeper. His shaky form in January and February can be linked to this mood. Two masters of psychology, Silvio Berlusconi and Adriano Galliani, when a player struggled or suffered an injury, called him in and offered a renewal, sometimes an increased one. Never when he was at his peak, always to help him through a rough spell.
The opposite happened with Maignan. He was pushed lower. In February the plot twist came. Giorgio Furlani said the agreed amount had dropped to 4 million, trimmed down, perhaps due to performances judged below standard. Following this logic, the French goalkeeper, who dropped to four million after the error in Rotterdam or Cagliari, should now be offered eight million, equal to the points he has earned for the team, explains Pellegatti.
Regarding Maignan's future, what will happen next?
The story did not end in February 2025. According to the goalkeeper’s agents, Furlani promised an answer after meeting Gerry Cardinale in early March. Since then, contacts have stopped. The situation today is paradoxical. In January Maignan could sign for another club, and Milan would get nothing. With a contract in place, his value would be at least 25 to 30 million. So Milan would lose that money and would also spend more to sign another goalkeeper. Add salary and fee, around 20 to 30 million euros for someone less strong and less charismatic. Now, in fact, to save one million euros, the AC Milan club risks losing 50 to 60 million euros instead.
Now what is the latest development regarding Maignan's situation at Milanello?
AC Milan seems ready to propose the offer from a year ago, the five million one. The latest reports claim that the conviction behind it is weak. The directors feel five million is perhaps too generous for a player over 30 years of age. If that is really true, let’s point out that top players in Serie A, and Maignan is one of them indeed, earn more than five million, like Dybala on seven, Calhanoglu on six, Lukaku on six. The horse might have already bolted. Let’s hope that head coach Massimiliano Allegri, the only one with a chance, brings him back to the Rossoneri goal. Let’sbe clear, however: this is no longer only about money. This sad story revolves around one million euros, explains Pellegatti again.
