Milan Pays a Moving Tribute to Franco Baresi for the Season Opener at San Siro

San Siro welcomed Milan for their season-opening home game against Venezia with a deeply emotional tribute to Franco Baresi, the legendary Rossoneri captain who passed away on July 31 at the age of 66. Before the opening whistle, the entire stadium fell silent to honor one of the most iconic figures in the history of the club and Italian soccer in general.

Even before the match, in the center of the field, a giant jersey bearing the number 6—an eternal symbol of the bond between Baresi and Milan—had replaced the usual advertising banner. It was a powerful image, met with applause from the crowd that was gradually filling the stands for the match on the second day of the league season.

A few minutes before kickoff, a spine-tingling tribute: a Rossoneri jersey bearing the number 6 was placed on the seat in the stands where Baresi used to sit, left there as a symbolic presence. Executives, staff, players, and fans rose to their feet, applauding at length. This gesture transformed San Siro into a place of collective memory.

Milan chose to honor its captain par excellence in this way—without special effects, but with the power of symbols. A tribute that united the club, the team, and the fans, and that accompanied the Rossoneri’s entrance onto the field on an evening that, regardless of the result, will be remembered for its human significance.