Milan’s 3-0 victory over “the big man of English football” descended upon Italy Wednesday night like a holy vindication. Indeed, since the national team lifted the World Cup last July, Italian soccer has been through trying times, including a series of match-fixing scandals, poor attendance, the riots in Sicily and the resulting stadium bans and — until Wednesday — a generally disappointing performance in Europe.
But it was all washed away by the “blessed rain” at the San Siro, said La Gazzetta dello Sport. “Water from the sky and goals that were divine. Manchester United underwent a true and just lesson in soccer.” La Gazzetta wasn’t the only paper to call it a “lesson,” either. The Corriere della Sera added: “They were dominated, outclassed, beaten. Milan remain. A great Milan, complete, convinced, a perfect team.” Others referred variously to Sir Alex Ferguson’s men as “old,” “tired,” and “timid” by Italy’s papers, according to Guardian translator Paolo Bandini.
How quickly the Italian papers forget Man United’s 7-1 thrashing of AS Roma, a team that beat Milan twice this season, at Old Trafford just a few weeks ago. Or maybe that simply contributed to the grandness of the vindication; either way, there can be no question that Milan handed the Red Devils a defeat nearly as comprehensive. In any event, it’s fun to see that hyperbole in the soccer press translates worldwide.