Showing posts with label Berlusconi. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Berlusconi. Show all posts

Monday, June 12, 2023

Silvio Berlusconi (1936-2023)

Silvio Berlusconi cartoon

"We hope to have put together a team capable of putting on a show because we have certain responsibilities towards our fans and the rest of the world, where we are the most famous thing about Italy - after the mafia and pizza."

Saturday, August 6, 2016

Berlusconi sells AC Milan

Berlusconi on boat waves goodbye to AC Milan fans
Colourful former Italy president Silvio Berlusconi is set to sell AC Milan to Chinese investors, ending his trophy-laden time at the club and receiving a huge pay-day...


Tuesday, March 15, 2016

The Godfather remake - starring Berlusconi, Maradona, Ronaldo and Obama


Who says that movie remakes are never as good as the originals?! Director Omar Momani and screenwriter Carlo Garganese have produced a new version of the 1972 classic, The Godfather. Starring Silvio Berlusconi in the title role, it tells the story of the shady AC Milan president’s attempt to maintain power amidst the unscrupulous and under-handed world of Italian football. Forget about Leonardo Di Caprio and The Revenant, it is Silvio Berlusconi’s portrayal of Don Vito Corleone that could be leading a clean sweep of Oscars this weekend.


"Someday, and that day may never come, I would like to call upon you to do me a service”. On the day his daughter is to be married, Berlusconi sits behind his desk in the dark study and is begged by a family friend to dish out ‘justice’. Berlusconi’s loyal consigliere Adriano Galliani and hot-headed ‘son’ Rino Gattuso observe the meeting.


The Berlusconis are hosting an extravagant wedding party to celebrate the union of Silvio’s daughter Barbara and her husband Alexandre Pato. The entire family pose for an iconic group photo. From left to right; Galliani, Silvio’s disloyal son Leonardo, Pato, Barbara, Silvio’s wife Veronica, Don Berlusconi, Gattuso, and Silvio’s final son Paolo Maldini – a returning hero who has been away for a long time.


Berlusconi “never asks a second favour when he has been refused the first”, as rival Gianni Agnelli learns to his cost when he wakes up to find the head of his beloved prize zebra in his bed.


Berlusconi is dragged into a mob war after one of his men suffers a grim fate at the hands of two other sinister Italian football figures; Maurizio Zamparini and Diego Armando Maradona.


Berlusconi makes a short trip to the grocery store to buy some fruit but is set upon by a couple of men sent by nemesis Maradona. Silvio’s brittle and bungling son Leonardo, whom would later betray the family, fumblingly fails to protect his father.


“Leave the gun, take the cannoli”! One of Berlusconi’s most prolific and portly hitmen, Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima, shows he has the stomach for a fight after leaving another opponent for dead.


"How much they paying you to set my father up?" Paolo Maldini makes the best interception of his career to prevent a massive conspiracy led by another big Berlusconi enemy, Captain Massimo Moratti. Moratti is not impressed, and nor are his henchmen Tronchetti Provera and Guido Rossi.


“Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer”. Berlusconi attempts to put an end to the bloodshed by calling a meeting of Calcio’s most influential and powerful leaders. Luciano Moggi, Carlo Tavecchio and Aurelio De Laurentiis are all in attendance, as are the presidents of the United States and Russia – mutual friends of Berlusconi.


"You're out, Adriano!". The film ends as an ageing Berlusconi desperately attempts to find a suitable successor for his family empire. In the end he hands over power to the returning hero Maldini after his long period of exile. Unfortunately, Maldini’s appointment spells bad news for consigliere Galliani.



Tuesday, January 26, 2016

Sunday, April 20, 2014

Berlusconi handed community service

AC Milan owner Silvio Berlusconi has been handed a year’s community service, an Italian court has ruled.

The 77-year-old was convicted of tax fraud and given a four-year sentence, later reduced to one, due to a 2006 amnesty.

However, the former Italian prime minister is too old to go to prison and will now undertake community service in a home for the elderly instead.
Wednesday, April 16, 2014 12:02

Saturday, November 9, 2013

Barbara wrestles Galliani while Silvio is about to sleep

A conflict in the management of AC Milan between club CEO Adriano Galliani and club president daughter Barbara Berlusconi in the time of AC Milan struggling season.

Monday, July 8, 2013

Inter & AC Milan aghast at Raiola's merger proposal

The summer transfer window is prone to wild speculation but this week has also seen one of the most ludicrous proposals in football.

Mino Raiola, the agent who represents Mario Balotelli and Zlatan Ibrahimovic among others, believes that AC Milan and Inter should merge in order to become a dominant force in Europe.

“The situation Italian football finds itself in is difficult,” he told Gazzetta.it.

“Milan and Inter, instead of competing against one and other, they should join forces.

“Lazio and Roma could have one strong club, rather than only two weak ones.” 

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Berlusconi: Balotelli is a rotten apple

AC Milan president Silvio Berlusconi has rubbished rumours that the club could sign Mario Balotelli, describing the Manchester City forward as a "rotten apple".

It was thought Balotelli could have been brought in to replace the already-departured Pato and Robinho, who was expected to leave the club in the current window, but the 76-year-old has officially ruled it out.

Friday, August 3, 2012

Berlusconi vetoes AC Milan summer spending spree

It turns out AC Milan owner Silvio Berlusconi is a spoilsport.

Just after raking in close to €60 million (£47m) from the sale of influential pair Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Thiago Silva, an appetite-whetting shopping spree was expected in Milan.
However, Berlusconi has told those involved that no such flirting with the market will now take place as the cash was needed to balance the books at the San Siro outfit – with the club instead needing to nuture young talent in order to survive.

"The economic situation no longer allows for the shopping sprees of the early '90s," the former Italian Prime Minister told Milan Channel.

"We cannot buy well-established players, such as those that characterised the transfer campaigns of recent years.

"We must build a great team from the youngsters. Barcelona have done it like this. And remember that Milan also started like this, with [Paolo] Maldini, [Franco] Baresi, [Alessandro] Costacurta."

Sunday, July 15, 2012

Money talks as Zlatan & Thiago head for Paris

The news that AC Milan have accepted a €60 million (£47m) offer from Paris Saint-Germain for star duo Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Thiago Silva sent eyebrows skyward this week.
Yet the Serie A giants' well-documented financial problems means that offloading the pair can save the club a sizeable chunk of money in salaries as well as wiping off a significant slice of the club's mounting debt.

With PSG now backed by big-spending Qatari owners, money appears to be no object for the Ligue 1 side, and simply irresistible for AC Milan.

Thursday, March 8, 2012

Wenger's side give AC Milan an almighty scare

AC Milan survived a major scare against a spirited Arsenal side on Tuesday night, despite conceding three goals in the first half of their Champions League round-of-16, second-leg clash at the Emirates.

The Rossoneri had a hefty four-goal advantage from the game in Italy three weeks ago, but had their backs against the wall after first-half goals from Laurent Koscielny, Tomas Rosicky and Robin van Persie. AC Milan managed to wake up from their nightmare to emerge winners in the tie - but the likes of Massimiliano Allegri, Adriano Galliani and Silvio Berlusconi were given one hell of a fright along the way.

Thursday, January 19, 2012

AC Milan bring back the wrong Merkel


AC Milan owner Silvio Berlusconi will recognise the name of his side's latest signing, but will be relieved it is Alexander Merkel and not Angela coming to bail him and his team out.

The former Italian prime minister had economic problems in his political career, which were addressed and aided by the German chancellor.

On this occasion, however, a 19-year-old playmaker has been drafted back to the Giuseppe Meazza on a loan deal to help with a crisis on the pitch.

Merkel will act as much-needed midfield cover for injured pair Gennaro Gattuso and Alberto Aquilani, and may find himself featuring for the Scudetto holders regularly as Kevin Prince-Boateng has also picked up a knock.

Unlucky Angela, there's always the summer transfer window ...