AC Milan's Struggles: Are RedBird To Blame?

AC Milan currently sit 9th in the Serie A table. They are out of the Champions League. Their only saving grace is that they made it to the Coppa Italia semi-finals against fierce rivals Inter and beat their opponents to win the Supercoppa earlier in the year.

With Paulo Fonsceca gone and Sergio Concecao looking to be the right man for the job after a quick turnaround winning the super cup, it seemed that Milan's problems in management had been solved.

But ultimately since that win, it hasn't been plain sailing for the Rossoneri with more issues on and off the pitch, especially the poor relationship between fans and owners RedBird Capital.

It is safe to say that supporters have always raised their concerns about current owners RedBird Capital Partners. With this, fans believe they lack ambition and an understanding of AC Milan's history and heritage.

Many believe that, like some of the other large names in Europe, the club is being run as purely a business focused on short-term gains rather than long-term success.

Gerry Cardinale and RedBird have been criticised for prioritising the club's financial aspects and a top-four finish over competing for the league title. This is the primary catalyst for a perceived lack of ambition paired with poor investment in the playing squad.

This has led to Milan fans expressing their discontent with the current ownership, with what is seen as the club's heartbeat, the ultras and Curva Sud, who stick with the club through thick and thin.

This has led to protests inside and outside the ground, with supporters showcasing their frustration for RedBird to sell the club and for results on the pitch to improve, or they have threatened to abandon the team from the stands.

Whilst AC Milan are financially stable since Li Yonghong's takeover from Silvio Berlusconi, fans have had the right to be cautious over the next owner's ambitions for the club.

In this position, the expense has unfortunately been felt with their on-field performances and that the club has regressed under current ownership, with one of the most prominent factors being a loss in the derby against Inter during the 23/24 season to hand their bitter rivals the Scudetto.

Additionally, in recent seasons, the focus in Milan has undoubtedly been on the blue side of the city, with much more success in recent years, including that Scudetto. This has further fuelled the criticism of AC Milan's ownership, as in complete contrast, Inter's success is a direct result of a more ambitious and investment approach.

This decline has been evident both domestically and in European competition, with the Rossoneri failing to mount serious title challenges and showing inconsistent form in the Champions League.

Whilst RedBird did emphasise long-term financial sustainability and infrastructure projects like stadium development, the sporting results have not met the expectations of the passionate fanbase which has created tension between the ownership's business-oriented approach and the club's tradition of on-field excellence, leading to questions about whether RedBird's vision aligns with the competitive ambitions expected of a club of Milan's stature.

With only eight games left in the 24/25 season and the second leg of their Coppa Italia semi-final against Inter Milan, there is still a chance that they will win an additional piece of silverware this season and salvage something to make it a little better. However, how long will Milan fans make their voices heard before a decision is made?

Missing out on European football especially would likely be viewed as completely unacceptable.

Redbird either needs to change its approach or sell to the right person who can implement a proper strategy that doesn't see the club as just a business but understands its history and pedigree. Someone who can take the club back to being one of the top teams in Italian football.