And Champions League it is! At the end of a game for strong hearts, Milan clears Siena and thus obtains the coveted third place. Joy is so much, almost directly proportional to suffering. Because the Tuscans played it with great honesty and professionalism, thus making life difficult for the Rossoneri.
“I saw the world fall on me, we were third for three months and we risked losing the Champions League at home to a relegated team, then finally the two goals arrived – the hot comment from an irrepressible Galliani. – We had a fantastic championship because for thirty days we have scored the same points as Juventus, 42 in the second round. We were nullifying everything, but football is like that."
Milan rejoices, because third place is worth the Champions League preliminaries, an anteroom on the 30 million euro plate guaranteed by the cup itself. Vital money for the club's budget, which at one point was really afraid of having to give it up. Having started off with the right attitude, the Rossoneri psychologically blamed the news from Pescara, where a super Fiorentina finished the games in less than half an hour. Up front then there was a Siena that was anything but demotivated, capable of managing the defensive phase in the best possible way and hurting in the counter-attacks, as well as exploiting Milan's weak points.
For example, the high balls in the penalty area, a real Achilles' heel of the Allegri's, which cost Terzi the advantage, caught only by Rosina's cross. Courage and will to win gave way to fear and insecurities, also because the episodes seemed to turn against. Balotelli hit a sensational crossbar with a close-range header, Robinho saw a fine left-footed shot rejected by Pegolo, which was repeated shortly after by deflecting a Super Mario free-kick. Regardless of the occasions, the maneuver flowed little and badly. The fault of the tension, but also of Allegri's choices.
It was inexplicable to leave El Shaarawy on the bench for the evanescent Niang, replaced in the interval by Pazzini. Galliani's face at the interval was a whole program, Berlusconi's…well, we can only imagine it! In the second half Milan tried to shake off, but Siena closed every space. In the meantime, Fiorentina was rampant and began to really believe in it, because the Rossoneri remained in ten (Ambrosini sent off for a second yellow card). Right there, at the lowest point, the turning point. Shortly after, Bergonzi also sent off Terlizzi (second yellow card for a foul on Pazzini) and in the 83rd minute he whistled a penalty against Milan for a hold by Felipe on Balotelli. Minutes of great tension followed, with Siena furious at the decision (fiscal, but certainly not scandalous) which also cost mister Iachini the red light.
The coach also recriminated for the expulsion of Terlizzi and for a penalty not granted to his team in the first half, the result of a hold by Ambrosini on Vitiello. The climate was heating up for everyone, but not for Balotelli, who displaced Pegolo and reopened all the games. Milan charged with their heads down to seek victory, and found it with a daring goal from Mexes, good and lucky in beating Pegolo with a close-range tap. It was the third place goal, which exploded the joy of the Rossoneri world. Above all Massimiliano Allegri, who will now be able to dissolve reservations about his future. “When a season ends, the coach talks to the club and therefore we'll talk about it – glossed over the coach. – I still have a year of contract so I can't leave. Let me enjoy this victory, it's too early to talk about the future."
But now, thanks to Siena's comeback, he will be able to win: “It's simplistic to comment on the episodes in these games. Tonight we deserved third place, fate was in our hands. It's fair to talk about what the team has done this year. We scored 42 points in the second round and arrived a little tired at the end. We got off to a great start but missed a few goals. Then Siena took the lead but the boys believed in it right up to the end”. However, Allegri is aware that the party will not last to the bitter end. This evening Silvio Berlusconi announced a telephone intervention at Biscardi's Process on 7Gold, and the twists and turns are already in the lineup. The coach will listen from his Livorno, then between tomorrow and Wednesday he will see Galliani. Once the emotions of the field have passed, those of the transfer market are on the way.
