Today, Sunday 30 Junemarks the official end of the 2023-2024 season. With the upcoming summer transfer window opening, this formally represents Olivier Giroud’s last day with AC Milan.
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The French striker has already greeted the fans in the match against Salernitana and bid farewell to his teammates upon returning from the tour in Australia. From tomorrow, Giroud will be free to seek a new adventure, even if he already has an agreement with the Los Angeles FCteam of MLS which boasts the presence of European football legends such as Giorgio Chiellini e Gareth Bale.
In an interview with Le Figaro, Giroud he explained his choice, stating: “It’s a combination of factors. Being away from my family and dealing with frequent travel and numerous matches weighs on me. Signing with Los Angeles FC is a career decision that best suits my family. I know that moving to the United States makes returning to the national team more difficult, but I feel an undeniable physical and mental tiredness.”
The French striker arrived from Chelsea in July of 2021initially seen as an alternative to Zlatan Ibrahimovicthe starter of Milan’s attack. In a short time, however, Giroud has become a pillar of the team and one of the most appreciated players by Stefano Pegs.
PhotoCredit: AcMilan.com
Decisive in the Scudetto racehis brace in the memorable derby of “Giroud turned” revived the Devil’s ambitions. He then scored two goals decisive in the final challenge against the Sassuolo. These are just two key moments of his extraordinary career at Milan. In the season, he scored 11 goals and 4 assists in Serie A, followed by 13 goals and 5 assists the following season.
In the interview released through the official channels of Milan at the time of his farewell, he expressed his deep regret for the defeat against Romaconfessing: “I was devastated because I wanted to bring another trophy to Milan.” It’s easy to understand why: one of the reasons he managed to win the heart of the fans was his emotional intensity throughout the period spent in the Milanese city.
He has never hidden his frustration, his anger or his disappointment. We saw him cry after an unwelcome substitution in Naples and face the fans after the heavy 5-1 defeat at home against Sassuolo, one of the most bitter results of the Pioli era. We saw him celebrate with determination and kiss the Milan crest after the hard-fought 1-0 victory against Torino, marking the return after the crisis of early 2023. And again, we saw him take off his shirt after a legendary flying goal in the 89th minute against Spezia, already booked but it didn’t matter.
We saw it in the heart of Marassi, between the postssomething extraordinary happened: Maignan was sent off in the 100th minute to save a slim 1-0, obtained in extremis just a few minutes earlier. He threw himself on the ground at Puscas, managing to deflect with his forearm while turning with his eyes closed to avoid being kicked in the face. He did not lose his lucidity and threw himself on the loose ball before Gudmundsson arrived. It is difficult to imagine that we will ever see a play like this from a goalkeeper in our time.
Arrived as temporary solution to fill a financial gapgiven that there were not enough funds to buy a young center forward, he instead transcended to become a AC Milan legend. He will be one of those players we will talk about with nostalgia, every time his name is mentioned. In his three years in red and black, Giroud not only won a Scudetto as a protagonist, but also broke the curse of the number 9 shirt of Milan. With 132 appearances, 20 assists and 49 goalsleft an indelible mark on the hearts of the Rossoneri, scoring approximately every 180 minutes.
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