In the days following the defeat against Cagliari, Mike Maignan broke his silence with a social media post that sparked debate across the entire Rossoneri fanbase. The French goalkeeper, and Milan captain, wrote words filled with emotion and a sense of responsibility: “Sooner or later, Milan will rise again.” A phrase that, beyond the bitterness of the moment, shows just how much the number one goalkeeper cares about the shirt he wears.
Maignan’s Words: A Captain Who Doesn’t Hide
Unlike others, Maignan chose to publicly step forward, thanking the fans and acknowledging the season’s failure. It was not a given — it speaks to the character of a goalkeeper who, even on the pitch against Cagliari, kept the scoreline from becoming even more humiliating with a series of crucial saves. Without his interventions, the final score could have been far heavier than it already was.
Yet that phrase — “sooner or later” — leaves a legitimate question open: are we talking months? Years? The ambiguity of the message perhaps reflects the general uncertainty surrounding the club at this particularly delicate moment in its recent history.
Beyond Maignan: The Whole Squad Must Take Responsibility
Appreciating the captain’s gesture is right, but stopping there would be reductive. The conversation about responsibility needs to be extended to the entire Milan squad. Since 2022, the club has endured difficult seasons, and the players have often been regarded as passive victims of managerial and tactical choices. The reality, however, is more complex.
Players take to the pitch. They determine the intensity, the desire, the determination. It is their daily attitudes that build or destroy a result. Talent alone is not enough: it takes mentality, cohesion and a sense of belonging — elements that, at certain points this season, appeared dramatically absent.
Milan have a squad with strong technical qualities, with internationally renowned players such as Rafael Leão, Christian Pulisic and Maignan himself. When that quality fails to translate into results, responsibility cannot fall solely on the bench or the boardroom.
A New Beginning Is Possible
Despite the difficulties, Milan’s potential remains intact. The club’s history is full of comebacks, of hard seasons overcome with character and identity. Maignan knows it, and so do his teammates. But the renaissance requires a collective shift in mentality — not just “sooner or later”, but with clear goals, a solid project and the desire to fight for the trophies this club deserves.
The Rossoneri faithful have always shown up in the darkest moments. Now it is the squad’s turn to repay that trust with concrete actions, starting from next season.
