It could have been the day of the tricolor flags, it will be the day of the Rossoneri flags. In fact, despite no longer having goals in the standings, this Milan-Novara will still be a match for strong hearts. Because the weakest Milan fans might not even be able to handle what will happen this afternoon. Gennaro Gattuso, Filippo Inzaghi, Alessandro Nesta and Clarence Seedorf will hit the San Siro lawn for the last time, at least wearing the Milan shirt. Difficult for the Rossoneri people to greet 4 heroes of the 2000s, people capable of totaling 1.552 appearances and 209 goals, as well as winning trophies after trophies.
Besides them, Gianluca Zambrotta and Mark Van Bommel will also greet the "Most titled club in the world", certainly less capable of leaving their mark in the history of Milan, but still protagonists of a Scudetto. The Dutchman himself, who was preferred to Pirlo a year ago, was the last in order of time to formalize his farewell: “It's difficult to say something right now. – said a visibly moved Van Bommel to the microphones of the Milan Channel. – I repeat that it is not easy for me to leave these colors behind, even if only after a year and a half. I was told from the beginning that this group was like a family and they really are. Everyone here has been amazing to me since day one, I want to thank everyone. Now I'm going back to Holland with my family: I'm going to PSV. Anyway this is goodbye, maybe I'll come back here as a coach. Go Milan!".
Touching words, but nothing compared to what happened at Milanello. In fact, yesterday morning, hundreds of fans of the Curva Sud and others made a pilgrimage to the Rossoneri sports center to attend training and above all to greet the "old" heroes. Gattuso, Inzaghi, Nesta and Seedorf were all acclaimed as they deserved, a small appetizer of what will happen today at the San Siro. Immediately after the huge crowd, Rino Gattuso spoke at the press conference: “I thank the club for what it has done over the years. A cycle has ended, just like in the Dutch times, of Maldini, Costacurta and Albertini. I lived part of that era and I have to say thank you to them. I hope that those who stay will continue to carry on the values left by us, the ones that the old people had taught us back then. The company has never made me feel like a burden, but I felt it was time to leave. I have nothing left to give here in terms of football, I feel empty and far from the combative player I was. Then when I saw that my historical companions were leaving, I understood that the time had come for me to say goodbye too. It's not easy, but in life you have to make decisions; I hope I don't regret it." Gattuso then revealed a dream for his immediate future: “I would like to wear the Glasgow Rangers shirt. There they welcomed me when I was 19, there they made me famous. I know they're going through a very bad economic moment (the club risks bankruptcy, ed), but it's not a question of money. It would be a choice of the heart, I would like to finish where I started from ”.
Immediately after Rino's conference, it was Allegri's turn to speak. An opportunity to talk about the future of the team, increasingly at the center of a real revolution: "The season will end against Novara, but a cycle will also close. We will have to start again, working hard and the club will build a competitive team to fight on all fronts. We are Milan, we will start as always to win everything." The Rossoneri coach officially announced the purchase of Montolivo ("He's a very strong and technical player, he'll come to us") but made a "bolt" on the Arcore summit on Friday, which saw him as a protagonist together with Berlusconi and Galliani : "We haven't mentioned any names, it was an opportunity to sum up this season which in any case saw us as protagonists". Finally Allegri communicated that today he will give space to all the senators (Inzaghi and Nesta should start from the bench), to allow each of them the just and sacrosanct ovation of San Siro.
POSSIBLE FORMATIONS
Milan (4-3-1-2): Amelia; Zambrotta, Mexes, Yepes, Mesbah; Gattuso, Aquilani, Seedorf; Boateng; Cassano, Ibrahimovic.
On the bench: Rome, Antonini, Nesta, Ambrosini, Nocerino, Robinho, Inzaghi.
Trainer: Massimiliano Allegri.
Unavailable: Pato, Emanuelson, Bonera, De Sciglio, Muntari, Abbiati.
Disqualified: Abbot (1).
Novara (4-3-1-2): Fountain; Morganella, Lisuzzo, Centurioni, Garcia; Porcari, Fish, Groans; Rigoni; Jeda, Caracciolo.
On the bench: Logofatu, Ludi, Branca, Rubino, Maggio, Radovanovic, Morimoto.
Trainer: Attilio Tesser.
Unavailable: Paci, Coser, Marianini, Ujkani, Mazzarani.
Disqualified: Mascaras (1).
Referee: Massimiliano Velotto (Grosseto). Assistants: Giallatini – Cini. Fourth official: cheap.
