It’s fair to say that Newcastle United’s trip to AC Milan this week is causing plenty of excitement, in both England and Italy.
Eddie Howe’s side are in Milan tonight to start their Champions League campaign and the Italian media have devoted as many column inches as possible, although they probably didn’t think they’d be mentioning Sunderland.
That continues today, with Tuttomercatoweb explaining the rivalry with Sunderland thanks to some cheeky Newcastle chanting and a flag which has been displayed in Milan.
The song being bandied around by the Magpies faithful is “Have you ever seen a Macken in Milan”, which TMW say is in clear ‘mockery’ of their biggest rivals.
Fans have even been displaying a banner reading the same, but that’s caused confusion for some Italians, who have no idea what a Mackem is and are unaware of the Sunderland reference.
Thus, TMW explain that the song was ‘born in 2003’, when Newcastle faced Inter Milan in the second group stages of the Champions League. That game ended 2-2 with a brace from Alan Shearer.
Daily Milan, meanwhile, go a little further for their fans and explains that Mackem refers, ‘in a derogatory tone’ to the residents of Sunderland and the song is in clear reference to the fact they’ve never been on this prestigious European stage.
They also cover the invasion of the Newcastle fans in Milan ahead of the game. They explain that a legion of Newcastle fans have arrived in the city for the game, ‘a little revved up and bare-chested’.
They arrived to heavy Italian rainfall and unperturbed, have been filmed sliding along the streets and generally having a good time.
It seems nobody is particularly upset at that, though, and Corriere dello Sport even cover it in a positive light, labelling the antics a ‘truly unique way to pass the time’ and saying the Magpies faithful have ‘put on a show’.
Their presence has not gone unnoticed but, unlike the usual negative headlines it’s all positive, even if the Milan faithful are a little confused on more than one front.
