Jeremy Menez Gives AC Milan a Needed Win After Fan Protest

The AC Milan game had started, but it was quiet.

There were fans present at San Siro despite pleas from the ultras to stay at home, even just outside the stadium. But the boycott had truly materialized.

The banners were written in English, an international statement of intent. No chanting, no cheering and no joy were present for the first few minutes of the match on Saturday evening.

It was so silent that you could hear the players grunting and yelling at each other over the television.

Only the school kids in attendance made noise, the innocence of fan support personified. They were too young to understand the politics of the situation. They cried "Milan, Milan!" in place of the hardcore fans.

The players still put in their shifts, and they actually won. Jeremy Menez scored twice and lifted his side to their third Serie A victory in 2015, a 3-1 result over relegation side Cagliari.

Antonio Calanni/Associated Press

Menez is now tied with Inter's Mauro Icardi and Juventus' Carlos Tevez on a league-high 15 goals. Eight of them have arrived from the penalty spot for Menez—including his second tally of this night—but the fact remains that Milan would have far fewer points without the Frenchman.

The situation at hand was not lost on him, as he put his hand to his ear after scoring the first goal of the game. 

"My gesture was not for the fans, but for the media," he told Sky Sport Italia after the match (h/t Football Italia). "They talk about me without knowing anything, and I don’t like that."

It's not particularly easy playing for Milan, and it's even harder to watch.

That's why there was a protest: the ultras on the southern end of San Siro (Curva Sud) urged supporters on Friday to abandon the match, to make the team feel as "completely alone as they've made us feel many, many times over the years," per Football Italia. The fans want answers to questions about ownership, about a plan and about the truth of what is happening to the seven-time Champions League winner. 

Antonio Calanni/Associated Press

The Rossoneri have slumped since the start of the new year, dropping 15 points from winning positions in the past three months alone. And they almost slipped back into the same habit against Cagliari.

Diego Farias beat Milan on a swift counter-attack just two minutes after the half-time break. It was another case of a blown lead and poor coverage—the Milan defender Philippe Mexes left scrambling (unsuccessfully) to defend the quick strike from Farias.

Mexes found some redemption at the other end of the pitch, scoring minutes later off a corner kick with a perfect volley.

Menez then stepped up to take a fortunate penalty—the original foul had occurred outside the box—and the game was over.

It was hardly a mountain climbed. Milan's only three Serie A wins have come against the three sides in the relegation zone. And they usually fare well against the Sardinian club anyway. 

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Milan beat Cagliari for the 11th successive Serie A home match, equalling their club record vs a specific opponent (Palermo 1932 - 1956).

— Infostrada Sports (@InfostradaLive) March 21, 2015"

But it was a positive result at a negative time—and an extra life for coach Filippo Inzaghi. He has barely escaped the sack in recent weeks, so a little reinforcement goes a long way.

"We’re back to creating seven or eight clear-cut chances per game," Inzaghi told Sky Sport Italia after the match (h/t Football Italia). "That’s the Milan I like. ... It’s only natural for our fans to be disappointed, so we have to win them back with good performances and results."