The boos from the Forum embarrassed the reporter: “I’m sorry to have to report this”
Giulia Cicchinè, a Sky Sport reporter, made no secret of her discomfort as she described the extremely tense atmosphere at the Unipol Forum in Assago following yet another night to forget for Olimpia Milano. The red-and-white team, defeated by Barcelona 81–89, suffered its fifth consecutive loss in the EuroLeague, sparking the fury of an increasingly exasperated fan base. Boos, protests, and calls for a change in direction accompanied the final minutes of the game and the players’ subsequent return to the locker room.
Cicchinè herself recounted what happened during a live television interview at the end of the game, using words that captured all the tension felt inside the Milan arena. “The atmosphere wasn’t positive; even the players felt and saw what was happening. There were a lot of boos—I’m sorry to have to report this, but that’s what happened. The boos were directed at the team, because of what was happening on the court.”
“In the final minutes, the team lost confidence, but in reality, the boos had started even earlier. Many people left, as often happens in basketball. And especially as the players were heading back to the locker rooms, there were many people shouting ‘Enough, enough,’ to the point that club officials had to step in and ask them to tone it down. This is what happened in the mixed zone. These aren’t pleasant moments to recount, but all of this is part of the game’s context.”
In the postgame, Coach Peppe Poeta also described the situation candidly: “The game was very clear-cut. Their physical play in the first two quarters gave them 11 offensive rebounds, and it’s hard to compete on equal footing like that. In the second half, they made changes all over the board, and we weren’t able to execute our plays.” The coach spoke of a team that “turns on and off suddenly” and admitted that “right now there’s also a lack of confidence, which is really weighing us down in the EuroLeague.” Regarding the fans’ frustration, he added that he understands it, “after four years without the playoffs and this start,” while noting, however, that the team must focus on giving their all within the group.
The backlash continued on social media, where the red-and-white supporters targeted the players, the coach, and the club. There were those, such as Fabrizio Biondi, who suggested boycotting the Forum on Sunday for the game against Virtus, while several comments called out Guduric and Poeta’s coaching staff. The discontent therefore risks spilling over into the next home game, with the club’s relationship of trust with the fans in need of a complete rebuild.
