Milan Obsession

According to rumors, winning five straight after a season like this gets you sacked. After winning two straight games at home, the prospect of Europa League qualification also looms more closely, too. And welcoming back last season’s young hero from injury just raises even more questions about the summer and next year. It’s the home stretch of a dysfunctional season, and so there is plenty to talk about.

My guest this time was Vinny of the fantastic Red Card Weekly YouTube show with two devout Milan fans wrapping up Serie A and football in general each week. We discussed:

• News of the Week: Don’t Mess with the Crest™, Annual “bored” meeting, Seedorf news

• Reviews: Serie A week 33 vs. Catania, Serie A week 34 vs. Livorno

• Upcoming Matches Preview: Serie A week 35 at Roma, Serie A week 36  the Derby della Madonnina vs. Inter

• Prognosis: Europa League Qualification

• Player Spotlight: Stephan El Shaarawy

Thanks so much to Vinny for a fantastic podcast. Check out the Red Card Weekly show on YouTube each week and be sure to subscribe to their channel so you never miss an episode. Also follow them on Twitter @RedCardWeekly

It may be hard to believe after this season, but Milan have won three in a row. And not just any three games, either. The winning extends beyond the pitch, though, with the new Casa Milan officially unveiled and new commercial ventures being sought in what seems to be the best efforts yet to acquire a new stadium in the near future. After so much heartbreak, it seems that Milan are back to winning ways, and the future looks red and black.

Today’s podcast features another new guest, Anthony, also known as @sportscaddy. He is a young journalist who is a featured writer for the Bleacher Report UK and also writes for A Football Report. He is aldo one of the admins for the AC Milan Club NY/NJ. We discussed:

• News of the Week: Casa Milan, new commercial ventures, and a new Sporting Director in our near future

• Tactics Talk: To attack or defend?

• Reviews: Serie A week 30 at Fiorentina, Serie A week 31 vs. Chievo, Serie A week 32 at Genoa

• Upcoming Matches Preview: Serie A week 33 vs. Catania, Serie A week 34 vs. Livorno

• Seedorf’s Report Card: Does he make the grade so far?

Thanks so much to Anthony for a fantastic discussion. Please follow him on Twitter @sportscaddy and also follow @ACMilanNYC. Check out bleacherreport.com/uk and afootballreport.com for his fantastic writing.

A tough loss to Atletico has opened the floodgates of criticism by fans, the Curva, and especially anyone and everyone in the media. As if Milan weren’t struggling enough, it seems like everyone is ready to kick us while we’re down.

This podcast brings a new guest, coming from sunny Miami, it’s Derwuin, an awesome artist, youth coach, and Milanista and blog guest extraordinaire. We talk about lots of things going on with Milan right now, including:

• News of the Week: Curva Sud again, Berlusconi is back, Slumber party in Roma

• Reviews: Champions League Round of 16 at Atletico Madrid, Serie A week 28 vs. Parma, Serie A week 29 at Lazio

• Upcoming Matches Preview: Serie A week 30 at Fiorentina, Serie A week 31 vs. Chievo, Serie A week 32 at Genoa

• Maldini Speaks: Maldini’s infamous interview

• Player Spotlight: Adel Taarabt

Thanks so much to Derwuin for recording this not once, but twice! Please follow him on Twitter @D_Mendez3 and check out his awesome comments on the blog. You’re Welcome.

With good performances come higher expectations. Not just results, but increasingly good and consistent performances. Yet there are so many things that can keep the performances from happening. Like midweek International friendlies, resting players for a Champions League match, and more. So Milan are growing, but with growing comes growing pains.

My guest this time is a podcast favorite, David, of the fantastic acmilanfinance.com. In this episode, we chat about:

• News of the Week: Poli’s injury, Seedorf trolling Juve, and the rumors of a potential sale of the club

• To Be or Not to Be: A New Milan Stadium? Read David’s article here.

• Reviews: Serie A week 26 vs. Juventus, Serie A week 27 at Udinese

• International Break: Which Milan players played for their national teams?

• Upcoming Matches Preview: Champions League Round of 16 at Atletico Madrid, Serie A week 28 vs. Parma, Serie A week 29 at Lazio

• Elaine’s Rant: Believing in Balotelli

Thanks so much to David for another amazing podcast. Check out his fantastic site at acmilanfinance.com and also follow him on Twitter @DavidLSwan

Things are looking up at Milan, not just in the table, but also on the pitch. Optimism may still be growing faster than the squad, but at least they are both headed in the same direction. With such success, though, it could be easy to overlook the things that are still plaguing Milan. So while applauding the improvement, we try to also look at the challenges still ahead. After all, with the coaching and other changes, it’s not like a light switch, it’s an evolution.

My returning guest this time is the amazing Pete of DAI DAI DAI legend. We chat about the evolution happening at Milan, more specifically:

• News of the Week: Viareggio Cup victory, Possible summer friendlies, Losing Galliani’s catch phrase

• The New and Improved Milan: Fitness Issues: check out Pete’s article

• Reviews: Serie A week 24 vs. Bologna, Champions League Round of 16: Milan vs. Atletico Madrid, Serie A week 25 at Sampdoria

• Upcoming Matches Preview: Serie A week 26 vs. Juventus, Serie A week 27 at Udinese, Champions League Round of 16 at Atletico Madrid

• Player Spotlight: Adil Rami

Thanks so much to Pete for the fantastic conversation as always. Please follow him on Twitter @PDAcquaviva and check out his blog pdacquaviva.com

This podcast marks the one year birthday of the Milan Obsession podcast, and also the third birthday of the Milan Obsession blog. As I celebrate these big milestones, I am filled with gratitude for all of the Milan fans who have read, commented, and written guest posts for the blog, and all of those who have participated in the podcasts and listened to them. It is humbling to see how big my little obsession has become, and it is all of you who make it worthwhile. So I hope you enjoy our special one year birthday podcast!

My guests today are founding members of the Milan Obsession family, Derek and Francesco. To celebrate one year of podcasts, we got together to chat about:

• News of the Week: Cristante injury, Champions League list, Papa Balotelli, summer plans, Taarabt loan

• Reviews: : Serie A week 22 vs. Torino, Serie A week 23 at Napoli

• Upcoming Matches Preview: Serie A week 24 vs. Bologna, Champions League Round of 16: Milan vs. Atletico Madrid, Serie A week 25 at Sampdoria

• Hail to the Chief: Clarence Seedorf

• Birthday Midseason Favorites:

• Favorite match, Favorite goal, Favorite arriving player, Most improved player, Biggest heartbreak

Thanks so much to Derek and Francesco for being such integral parts of our Milan Obsession Podcast, and especially for the fabulous podcast. Check them out in the comments section every day and follow them on Twitter: @DeekMonn and @FrancescoPetra8