Baresi’s Funeral: Boos Directed at Club Officials Divide Milan Fans
Milan fans also booed and heckled during Franco Baresi’s funeral. Upon arriving at the Basilica of Sant’Ambrogio in Milan, Milan club owner Gerry Cardinale and president Paolo Scaroni were met with boos and shouts of “get out” and “boo.” In contrast, former sporting director Paolo Maldini, Inter president Beppe Marotta, and Beppe Bergomi were met with applause.
The decision by some fans to boo has divided the Rossoneri fanbase on social media, with many expressing their disapproval: “The problem is the setting… You don’t boo at a funeral. You show respect for the deceased.” “But in a context like this, can you explain the point of the booing? Thanks,” “Booing on a day when we should just be silent out of respect for Franco,” “Booing at the captain’s funeral? No, really,” “Wrong context for booing…but these people don’t respect Milan’s history.”
The ceremony took place in a moved and solemn Milan, with thousands of people who had already gathered in the Sant’Ambrogio area in the early morning hours, well before the funeral began. It was an impressive and deeply heartfelt tribute to one of the most iconic figures in the history of Italian soccer. The city administration announced that Baresi will be enshrined in the Famedio of the Monumental Cemetery, the pantheon reserved for Milan’s most illustrious citizens: an extremely rare honor that attests to a greatness that extends far beyond the realm of soccer.
From Ruben Amorim’s team, only Pulisic and Gimenez were present; the rest of the Rossoneri are currently on their Australian tour in preparation for the new season. The possibility of canceling the training camp in Perth was never considered, for logistical and financial reasons, especially given the friendly match against Inter at Optus Stadium, where 60,000 spectators are already expected. Representing the club, in addition to Cardinale and Scaroni, was a large delegation of executives who had remained in Italy. From faraway Australia, coach Amorim and defender Matteo Gabbia had laid a wreath at the foot of the mural dedicated to Baresi in Perth, with Gabbia telling Sky Sport: “We’re sorry we couldn’t be present at the funeral; this tribute was the least we could do.”
Among the controversies surrounding the funeral, Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s silence also sparked debate; he was absent both in person and on social media, having made no public tribute to the legendary Rossoneri captain. According to MilanNews, this attitude has a specific origin: in 2014, Ibrahimovic lost his older brother Sapko, who died after a long battle with leukemia—a deeply painful event following which the Swede reportedly developed a delicate and controversial approach to dealing with grief. He did not attend Silvio Berlusconi’s funeral either, nor did he publicly comment on the death of Mino Raiola. This silence, however, stands in stark contrast to the avalanche of tributes pouring in from every corner of the soccer world.
