AC Milan is not just a football club. It is a culture, a tradition, a pursuit of excellence born from decades of victories and a history that demands vision, competence and a sense of proportion from those who lead it. That is why the statement from Gerry Cardinale, released after a disastrous season, comes across as incomplete, cold and above all short-sighted.
Because after a failure of these proportions — both sporting and managerial — the issue cannot simply be finding a new balance. The problem runs far deeper: it concerns the complete loss of technical and managerial identity at the club. And so the question becomes unavoidable: how can Zlatan Ibrahimović remain central to the project? A man who, since hanging up his boots, has accumulated more shadows than results.
Charisma Is Not Enough
Being a big personality is not enough. Media leadership is not enough. Milan needs real directors, football men capable of building, protecting and managing a dressing room. Instead, in recent weeks, serious rumours have emerged: paternalistic interference by Ibra in the affairs of players such as Rafael Leão, Christian Pulisic and Fikayo Tomori, in stark contrast with the head coach — who at the end of the season reportedly even pushed for the departure of some key players.
A devastating dynamic. Because when the club sends contradictory messages, the dressing room inevitably splits. And that is precisely what was visible in the final stages of the season: a Milan that was tense, divided and fragile, where every match seemed to reflect an internal war. A climate of everyone against everyone that engulfed the environment, the squad and the fan base alike.
The Voice of the Rossoneri Faithful
The Milan fan base, in this regard, is never to be underestimated. The Rossoneri supporters are among the most knowledgeable and demanding in Europe. They understand the game, they know the club’s history, and they immediately recognise when credible technical leadership is absent. If today the ultras and a large part of the Rossoneri faithful are once again up in arms, loudly demanding the exit of Ibrahimović following the complete dismantling of the technical governance, it means their reasons are deep and real.
Back to the Roots
To truly rebuild Milan, it takes the courage to return to its roots. It takes recovering that managerial culture that once made the club a global model during the years of Silvio Berlusconi‘s stewardship. The path, then, seems almost inevitable: out with Ibrahimović and in with men who truly know what Milan is.
Adriano Galliani and Paolo Maldini embody competence, Milanismo and a deep understanding of top-level football dynamics. And if bringing back Frederic Massara is not possible, then at the very least there should be the good sense to rebuild around those who have already proven they know what it means to build a winning Milan. Because without identity, without real directors and without a clear direction, there is only one risk: turning a European giant into a club lost in its own confusion.
