Milan Vs Monza

AC Milan’s final Serie A fixture of the season against Monza at San Siro on Saturday night promises to be a tense and emotionally charged affair, as the club’s ultras plan a dramatic protest against what they perceive as a shameful campaign. The supporters’ groups have announced their intention to stage a walkout after 15 minutes, abandoning the players and directors to, in their words, “face their shame alone” following a disastrous collapse in the latter stages of the season. This symbolic gesture underscores the deep frustration among the fanbase, who have watched their team plummet from European contention to mid-table obscurity in a matter of weeks.  

For the first time since the 2015-16 season, Milan will finish outside the European qualification spots in Serie A, marking a bitter disappointment for a club that had re-established itself among Italy’s elite in recent years. Their downfall was confirmed in brutal fashion last week, as a 1-0 defeat to Bologna in the Coppa Italia final was swiftly followed by another loss away to Roma, mathematically eliminating them from the top six and ensuring there will be no continental football at San Siro next season. The late-season capitulation has raised serious questions about the direction of the team under manager Sergio Conceição, who arrived midway through the campaign but has overseen a noticeable regression.  

Currently languishing in ninth place, Milan’s hopes of climbing higher are slim. Fiorentina and Bologna sit two points ahead, meaning even a victory against Monza may not be enough to overtake them. Bologna, who dashed Milan’s Coppa Italia dreams, will be out of reach if they secure a win in their own final match, while Fiorentina’s superior head-to-head record means a single point will suffice for them to stay above the Rossoneri. The situation is a far cry from the optimism that surrounded the club at the start of the season, and the statistics paint a grim picture of their struggles.  

With 16 defeats across all competitions this season, Milan are perilously close to matching their worst-ever tally in a single campaign. The club’s record for most losses in a season stands at 17, a mark set in 1973-74, 1996-97, and 2013-14—all years remembered for underachievement and turmoil. Another defeat against Monza would see this year’s squad join that unwanted list, further cementing this campaign as one of the most disappointing in the club’s storied history.  

Compounding the misery, Milan’s home form has been a significant letdown. They must win against Monza to avoid equalling their lowest number of home victories in a 21st-century season—a meager eight, previously recorded in 2007-08 and 2020-21. San Siro, once a fortress, has become a place of frustration, with the team struggling to impose themselves consistently. However, if there is one faint reason for optimism, it is that Milan have been ruthless against Serie A’s weaker sides this season, winning 10 of their 11 matches against the current bottom six.  

Their recent record against Monza also offers some encouragement. Since Monza’s promotion to Serie A three years ago, Milan have dominated this fixture, winning four of their five league meetings, including both encounters at San Siro while scoring seven goals in the process. Yet, given the toxic atmosphere expected on Saturday and the team’s recent fragility, even this favorable history may not guarantee a positive result.  

For Monza, this match represents the end of a miserable campaign that has seen them plummet from mid-table security to the brink of one of the worst points tallies in Serie A history. With just three wins from 37 matches, they are currently on 18 points, a figure that puts them among the competition’s all-time weakest performers in a 20-team season. Only Chievo Verona in 2018-19 and Salernitana in 2023-24 have finished with fewer points (both on 17), meaning Monza could yet avoid that ignominy with a shock result at San Siro.  

Their dramatic decline has been one of the surprises of the season. After establishing themselves as a solid mid-table side in their first two Serie A campaigns, they have been completely out of their depth this year, suffering 25 defeats and looking hopelessly overmatched for much of the campaign. Manager Alessandro Nesta, a Milan legend who enjoyed immense success at San Siro as a player, now returns to the stadium under vastly different circumstances, hoping to salvage some pride from a disastrous season.  

There was a glimmer of hope in their most recent away match, where they snapped an 11-game losing streak on the road with a victory at Udinese. However, any optimism from that result was quickly extinguished last weekend when they were comfortably beaten 3-1 at home by fellow strugglers Empoli, a performance that reinforced their status as one of the league’s weakest teams.  

As both teams prepare for a match that holds little significance in terms of league positioning, the subplots are nonetheless compelling. For Milan, it is a chance to salvage some dignity in front of a disgruntled fanbase, while Monza will be desperate to avoid further embarrassment. The ultras’ planned protest adds an extra layer of tension, ensuring that this season finale will be anything but a routine affair.  

Ultimately, the match serves as a microcosm of two clubs enduring difficult moments—Milan grappling with unmet expectations and Monza facing the harsh reality of relegation. The final whistle will bring closure to a forgettable season for both, but the repercussions will linger long after the players have left the pitch.