Milan’s triumph of the collective finally casts off ‘Istanbul Syndrome’

Nobody could mistrust a 3-0 lead more than the Milan supporters who saw their team throw that scoreline away in the 2005 Champions League final. The scars of defeat to Liverpool never fully healed, not even after their team took revenge two years later. Fans self-diagnosed with “Istanbul Syndrome” to explain the foreboding they felt whenever their team found itself in a winning position thereafter.

Fresh outbreaks were reported in the days leading up to Milan’s season-ending game away to Sassuolo. The Rossoneri needed just a point against mid-table opponents to seal their first Serie A title for 11 years. It all looked too easy, and therefore too much like a disaster waiting to happen.

But Reggio Emilia is no Istanbul. If anything, it felt more like these teams were playing in Milan. The Stadio Mapei’s north stand had been transformed into a miniature version of San Siro’s Curva Sud, visiting fans putting together a pre-game choreography to remind their team that: “We are always with you.” Although red-and-black stripes were prohibited in other parts of the ground, it was clear more sections had been colonised.

There were reports that as many as 100,000 people had been waiting in the online queue when tickets went on sale. Scenes of supporters taking over the Milano Centrale train station before embarking on the 100-mile journey south had been going viral.

If any of them were suffering with Istanbul Syndrome, they did not infect the players. Milan were in control from kick-off, any nerves lasting only as long as it took for Olivier Giroud to open the scoring with a nutmeg of Andrea Consigli after a quarter of an hour. It was the Frenchman again who grabbed the next goal before Franck Kessié made it 3-0 within the first