AC Milan Fail to Respond to Fan Pressure in Historic Loss to Genoa

For the third home match in a row, AC Milan's fans made their grievances loud and clear. In big human letters, the ultras on the southern end formed the word "basta"—meaning enough in Italian. It was a simple message against the management of their club.

"

Protesting AC Milan fans gather to spell Basta ('Enough') at the San Siro tonight. (h/t @Awaydays23) pic.twitter.com/70VoPRtGK6

— Bleacher Report UK (@br_uk) April 29, 2015"

The match that followed only served to justify those protests. Milan lost to Genoa at home for the first time in 57 years, a 3-1 defeat that could've been a whole lot worse if not for the goalkeeper Diego Lopez.

The fans whistled every substitution and jeered at several junctures, but there was real applause—not sarcastic, just pure adulation—for Lopez, who made six saves against Genoa. It was the sixth game this season in which he has had to make five or more stops. 

Still, Lopez wasn't enough, not with this defence. Defender Adil Rami was so lost on the night. He could not cope with the pace of Genoa's attackers, including midfielder Andrea Bertolacci. The 24-year-old Italian burned Rami on the first goal and simply waltzed into the 18-yard box to score the opening goal.

On that same sequence, Ignazio Abate—the captain, no less—just watched as Bertolacci broke past everyone. 

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Ignazio Abate, Milan’s captain, just watches it go in. Great leadership. https://t.co/wvyF8wtckw

— Anthony Lopopolo (@sportscaddy) April 29, 2015"

For a player with so much speed, Abate showed little of it. He was at fault again at the end of the first half, left twisted inside-out as Genoa's Iago Falque beat him on the right flank. Iago then slipped a pass to Tino Costa, whose shot was deflected into the net by Milan loanee M'Baye Niang.

Niang looked particularly eager to impress his parent club, getting involved in almost every attacking play. The 20-year-old had not scored a single Serie A goal in two years previous with the Rossoneri, and here he was on the scoresheet at San Siro for another team. 

No wonder Niang was flying about the pitch. It was poetic justice. Milan are a club that continues to mistreat all of their young prospects. He had something to prove, and Milan may never get him back.

The camera cut back to coach Filippo Inzaghi, and he was expressionless. Inzaghi also failed to play Niang, and here he was with the winner.

The only upside to this contest was the ridiculous goal from defender Philippe Mexes, who has developed a penchant for the extreme. Not only does he go about the pitch choking players and committing dangerous tackles, but he also scores the odd magnificent goal. This one was a rocket from outside the box, blasted right under the bar. A random moment of brilliance from a random player. It makes sense.

What isn't compatible anymore is the team as a whole. There is no meaning to the way they play. Jeremy Menez was on his own, and he was sent off for two silly challenges. Mexes, in his usual turn of faces, then conceded a penalty, and he too could've seen red.

Antonio Calanni/Associated Press

What's worse is that Milan showed absolutely no response in the aftermath of their mandatory training retreat. They could spend the rest of the season locked up in Milanello, but it probably won't change much. Inzaghi has lost this team—the very same team that celebrated goals with him way back in September. There is no way a coach can continue to work when the players talk back, as they reportedly did to Inzaghi at the weekend. There is no mutual respect.

Inzaghi could be sacked as early as Thursday morning, per Football Italia. The club could also announce a takeover in the coming hours.

"I will not resign because that is the cowardly thing to do," Inzaghi told the press after the match. 

Fortunately for him, this mess may not be his for much longer.