Newcastle United travel to Italy today and will face AC Milan in the Champions League on Tuesday evening.
Obviously, it’s a huge match for Eddie Howe’s side, and a hugely exciting event for the club’s supporters, both those who have travelled and those who will be watching at home.
In Milan, the slant had been the return of Sandro Tonali after his big money move to the Magpies, however, something else has taken over that and provided a whole new drama ahead of the match.
The Rossoneri lost 5-1 to their city rivals Inter on Saturday, and given this is Italian football that’s seen all kinds of fury from fans.
There’s not just been anger on social media and during phone-ins, as would largely be the case in the UK, but also official statements from supporters.
Gazzetta dello Sport report that whilst the welcome for Tonali is likely to be warm – ‘there is no hatred, there is no acrimony towards Sandro’ – the same can’t be said for Milan manager Stefano Pioli.
The Italian newspaper report AC Milan fans are holding Pioli responsible for the embarrassing derby defeat.
Milan’s Curva Sud supporter group, who it’s stated had previously defended Pioli ‘with a drawn sword’, aren’t happy with him at all.
On Sunday, they published a statement, something which isn’t unusual in Italy, which Gazzetta say was specifically aimed at Pioli even if he wasn’t named.
They weren’t happy with his tactics against Inter, and it’s not just a case of having lost the derby, but the manner in which it happened.
Therefore, there’s some added drama ahead of the Champions League clash against Newcastle United.
