AC Milan: The Rise, Fall, and Resurrection of a European Giant

AC Milan is one of the historic clubs of Europe, and only second to Real Madrid in terms of Champions League success.

Formed towards the end of 1899, Milan started off with glory by winning the Medaglia del Re ("King's Medal") in 1900 and the national league the following year. Since then, Milan has added many accolades to build a glorious history.

Even an early partition on the dispute of recruiting many foreign players, which ended up in the formation of Internazional Milano (Inter Milan), AC Milan stood the test of time.

Champions League Success

AC Milan is the flag bearer of success on the international stage for Italy. It was the first Italian club to win the European Cup, having won it 4 times in total.

AC Milan was also the first club from Italy to win the UEFA Champions League in 1994 after the competition was rebranded in 1992. They went on to win it two more times since then, in 2003 and 2007.

Having won the esteemed Champions League seven times, second only to Real Madrid's 13 titles, AC Milan is still the leading Italian club on the grandest stage of them all.

League Success

Even in terms of league titles, the Scudetto, AC Milan has seen a lot of success in its rich history. The club currently holds 18 league titles and sits at the second spot with their city rivals Inter Milan while Juventus leads the way with 36 Serie A titles.

Still, none of the Italian clubs, or clubs from other leagues for that matter, come close to AC Milan in terms of European success. However, Milan has had its fair share of hardships, especially in recent years.

Downfall

Since winning their last Champions League title in 2007 and exacting their revenge on EPL's European giant Liverpool, things started to turn sour rather quickly for Milan. In fact, the club went into obscurity and have not been able to bounce from it until recently.

With many big names passed their prime like Paolo Maldini, Seedorf, Stam and the likes, AC Milan could not replace the ability and quality those players had, and to be fair, was impossible to replicate. They were a once in a generation players and a dream team for many football fans and critics.

Resurrection

AC Milan has had its fair share of highs and lows since its inception. However, the club hasn't managed to bounce back to its former glory since the 2010s.

However, looking at the recent developments in the club in the past few years and a change in club ownership, they are beginning to show signs of redemption. Looking at their current form, things look better from the previous many seasons as they sit third in their league

As of 2021, AC Milan is competing in the UEFA Europa Cup and second only to their perennial rivals Inter Milan. This can be taken as a performance test to see if the team is ready for the most elite club competition, the UEFA Champions League.

This season, under the leadership of Stefano Pioli and the star man Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the club started with a blistering pace and held the top league spot for most of the first half.

Having a star player like Zlatan injected some much-needed confidence in the Rossoneri. Players are pushing hard, giving everything to secure the points and hold the Milan colors in high esteem. That said, injuries throughout this season and losing crucial games has dampened their chances of winning the league.

Comeback Season

Nevertheless, AC Milan is out hunting for glory once again, and we're all here for it. This season has given the fans of the Rossoneri hope which they had been yearning for years.

If the club management stays determined and makes the right decisions, AC Milan will soon be back among the elite clubs of Europe.

Many fans and football enthusiasts are rooting for Milan's revival and it only makes the game we love more beautiful. The return to stardom of a European.