Maldini's ghost hangs over uninspiring Milan as top-four place slips from view | Nicky Bandini

"There were more than seven minutes left to play, plus injury time, in a crucial end-of-season game, yet San Siro was already half empty. Milan's Ultras had deserted the Curva Sud to prepare a post-game protest, but even the less organised, more forgiving parts of the club's fanbase could not be bothered to stay until the end of another humiliating defeat. Their team was losing 3-0, at home, to Atalanta, and it hardly even felt a surprise."

"With this loss, inevitable as it now appeared, the Rossoneri had collected just seven points from their last eight games. Only three teams in Serie A had done worse over the same stretch. Two of those Verona, and Pisa have been relegated. The third, Lecce, are perilously close to joining them. Milan exist in a different orbit, still fourth in the table, even if their grip on a Champions League spot looks very loose indeed."

"It feels absurd to say it now, but before this miserable run they were the team keeping the Serie A title race alive. They were the last team to beat Inter, since crowned as champions, on 8 March. The gap between them, with mocking symmetry, was seven points. No wonder the few fans who stuck it out to the end on Sunday should get to feeling nostalgic."

"Watching their beleaguered team struggle to get the ball out from the back against Atalanta's persistent press, they started to sing for Paolo Maldini. One of the all-time great defenders, he won seven Serie A titles and five Champions Leagues (or European Cups, as they were when he started collecting them) as a player, extending the legacy of success begun by his father, Cesare. But supporters were not invoking Paolo's achievements on the pitch so much as his more recent chapter serving on the club's board."

Milan’s end-of-season home match against Atalanta ended in another humiliating 3-0 defeat, with many fans leaving early despite several minutes plus injury time remaining. The Curva Sud was largely empty as Ultras prepared a post-game protest, and even more casual supporters did not stay for the final whistle. The loss left Milan with only seven points from their last eight Serie A games, worse than most teams and only slightly better than three clubs that have already been relegated or are close to relegation. Milan still sit fourth, but their hold on a Champions League place looks fragile. Before the slump, Milan had kept the title race alive, including being the last team to beat Inter on 8 March. During the match, fans sang for Paolo Maldini, reflecting both his historic playing success and his recent role in club leadership, including his board appointment in 2018 and promotion to technical director in 2019.

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