Gerry Cardinale’s presence at the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino is no longer an unusual occurrence. Ruben Amorim had stressed on the eve of the match how important it was to have the owner alongside the team for their Serie A opener, an occasion the American businessman had never previously attended in person: "It’s a message to our fans: we have been together over these four weeks and we have worked for the team." An analysis by Gazzetta dello Sport.
Cardinale chose to experience the match up close, rather than simply watching from the stands.
At the end of the warm-up, he waited for the players at the entrance to the tunnel leading to the dressing rooms, greeting them one by one with a high-five before they returned to the pitch. A simple but significant gesture that portrays an ownership group which is present and involved. And at the end of the match, the owner wanted to personally congratulate the team inside the stadium, celebrating alongside them.
Amorim’s celebration following Cissé's goal also reflects a different atmosphere, one in which enthusiasm appears to be growing alongside confidence in the new era. It is not simply a matter of results: the behaviour, the small details and the presence of the Club’s leadership convey a sense of renewed unity. Now, the RedBird chairman will be at Milanello during the week, before returning to the stands at San Siro on Friday for Milan’s first home match of the season against Venezia.
