Baresi’s Funeral: An Unforgettable Day of Emotion
Milan bid farewell to Franco Baresi in a ceremony that left a lasting mark on everyone who loves football. A day filled with raw emotion, spontaneous chants, tears and a collective embrace around one of the most iconic figures in Italian sporting history. Thousands of Rossoneri fans gathered to pay tribute to the eternal captain of AC Milan — a symbol of loyalty, belonging and greatness that is unlikely to ever be matched.
One of the most moving sights of the day was Paolo Maldini visibly in tears: two legendary champions, two great captains, bound together by friendship and shared values. Seeing the world’s most famous number 3 in that moment made everything feel even more poignant. The football they represented — built on genuine belonging, one-club careers and true values — feels like a world apart today, precious and irreplaceable.
There will be many more occasions to celebrate and remember Baresi as he truly deserves. His story, his values and his example remain a priceless legacy for all, as shown by the growing momentum behind the proposal to name the Curva Sud after Franco Baresi.
Whistles for Cardinale and Scaroni: A Controversy Out of Place?
The ceremony was not without its controversial moments. As Gerry Cardinale and club president Paolo Scaroni made their way through the crowd, a section of those present responded with whistles. The gesture divided opinion: some argued that a funeral is not the appropriate setting for such protests, while others maintained that fans have the right to express their frustration with club management in any context. The absence of several prominent figures associated with the Milan world was also noted.
In any case, the tributes, the heartfelt applause and the sea of red and black far outweighed the controversy, restoring the true meaning of the day: a people united in remembering their unforgettable captain.
La Russa’s Blunder: “Baresi Is Remembered More for the National Team Than for His Club”
But the most heated controversy of the day came courtesy of Ignazio La Russa, President of the Italian Senate and well-known Inter Milan supporter. In his remarks honouring Baresi, La Russa stated that “Baresi was greater for the national team than for his club”. The comment immediately sparked uproar and reads as nothing short of a deliberate provocation.
How can anyone, in good conscience, argue that Franco Baresi was more important to the Italian national team than to AC Milan? A player raised in the Rossoneri academy who wore that shirt for his entire career, who went down to Serie B with the club when needed, who won six league titles and three European Cups/Champions League trophies, and who is the undisputed symbol of one of football’s greatest clubs. Baresi embodied what it truly means to be a one-club man: he never chased bigger stages, never sought to leave, and built his legend in Milan, year after year, game after game.
Of course, Baresi also made precious contributions to the Italian national team — most notably the 1994 World Cup final. But to suggest his greatness is more defined by the Azzurri than by AC Milan — deliberately omitting the club — smacks of calculated point-scoring. After all, from an Inter supporter speaking at the funeral of one of the greatest Milanisti of all time, a touch of mischief perhaps comes as no great surprise. One hopes Baresi, wherever he may be, had a smile on his face.
