Silvio Berlusconi, Adriano Galliani, Cristian Brocchi, Mario Balotelli, Kevin-Prince Boateng and Gabriel Paletta.
There is a real Milan vibe about Monza, who are nestled 15 kilometres north of the Lombardy capital, as the ambitious club stand closer than ever to achieving their goal of Serie A promotion after spending their entire existence in the lower leagues.
Monza are owned by former Milan president and Italy prime minister Berlusconi, who returned to football in 2018 after selling his beloved Rossoneri a year earlier.
After purchasing the club through his Fininvest company, Berlusconi turned to his trusted right-hand man Galliani – who was born in Monza – as CEO. Their partnership helped turn the Rossoneri into a superpower, with eight Serie A titles and five Champions League/European Cup crowns among the 29 pieces of silverware between 1986 and 2017.
Monza are also coached by former Milan midfielder and boss Brocchi, while the Serie B outfit also boasts ex-Rossoneri players Balotelli, Boateng and Paletta.
After completing their rise from Serie C to the second tier of Italian football amid the coronavirus pandemic in 2019-20, Monza are well and truly in the promotion mix – fourth and six points adrift of leaders Empoli, while they are only two points behind Cittadella, who occupy the final automatic spot through 18 games.
Moving up to Serie A would mean a Milan reunion for many of Monza's staff and players, as well as Brocchi – who won the Scudetto and two Champions League titles among other honours at San Siro between 2001 and 2008 before spending a brief period in charge eight years later.
"It is a dream that hopefully will come true. To have brought the Milan mentality coming from our board – always striving to build an important organisation similar to the Milan that won so much worldwide," Brocchi told Stats Perform News.
"Board, manager and some players have worn that shirt and the dream to recreate Milan here in Monza is beautiful and emotional."
"It is a tough season. There are many strong clubs, the ones relegated from A [in 2019-20] who have retained all the important players and those who last season had built up a squad for promotion and failed, so I think this year's Serie B is the hardest of recent times," he continued.
Monza – back in Serie B following a 19-year absence – are no ordinary second-tier team in Italy, with all eyes on the Bagai due to Berlusconi.
Berlusconi's presence has changed the landscape for Monza, who tried to sign Zlatan Ibrahimovic before the star striker opted to return to Milan in January last year. However, Monza have since lured Balotelli and Boateng to the club.
"Working for Berlusconi and Galliani's club is grand because all media attention is on you. For sure everybody thinks Monza have to win every game because these two people have gone down in football history winning so much. And this is exactly our goal," Brocchi said.
"I know very well Berlusconi and Galliani's wish is to reach Serie A and win every game. We share the same mindset because I have grown up with them since I was nine. To me it is an honour to be the manager here.
"For sure it is beautiful and important for me to manage in a club like Monza that are very ambitious. It is not easy to take a club from Serie C to Serie A but it is emotional because you have a lot of responsibilities and adrenaline is always rushing. As I said, to face strong clubs with your own aim and manage to overcome them, would make this even better."
Brocchi, who oversaw just seven matches as Milan coach before being replaced by Vincenzo Montella, continued: "Monza's aim is to improve. We started from C, we are in B and we want Serie A. The difference between us and other clubs is that once in Serie A we won't have the goal of avoiding relegation at the last game, but to rank in the top 10.
"Mr Galliani wants us to always be a strong team going for great objectives. This is what will happen should we win this league."
Balotelli and Boateng are set to play a key role in Monza's push for promotion following their high-profile arrivals.
Boateng has made an immediate impact, with the former Milan and Barcelona midfielder – on average – scoring a goal every 243 minutes in Serie B this season, the best average among Monza players with at least 90 minutes played.
Only Dany Mota has fired more shots on target than Boateng (23 to 10) among Monza players this term and the talented Portuguese forward has four league goals.
Balotelli – coming off a difficult spell at Brescia before their relegation from Serie A – scored with his first touch in Serie B on debut for Monza last month before being sidelined through injury.
"They [Balotelli and Boateng] arrived here in Serie B thanks to the acquaintance they had with Berlusconi and Galliani and even with me as a manager, since I trained them at Milan and we had a great relationship," said Brocchi, who was handed his first senior head-coaching role at Milan after replacing Sinisa Mihajlovic almost five years ago, having previously worked with the club's youth team.
"They settled in very well, they always train hard, they lead by example by showing the will to take me, Berlusconi, Galliani and Monza to Serie A. So far they have been important, let's hope they can give us even more in order to make this dream come true."
The experience of Balotelli and Boateng complements an exciting core of Monza players, including Mota and Brazilian full-back Carlos Augusto, as well as talented loanees Davide Frattesi (Sassuolo), Andrea Colpani (Atalanta) and Davide Bettella (Atalanta).
Both Balotelli and Boateng have tasted Serie A success in their careers to go with respective Premier League and LaLiga honours, with the latter part of the last Milan team to celebrate Scudetto glory in 2010-11.
The strategy of sporting director Filippo Antonelli and Brocchi to invest in promising young talent has continued to deliver results on the pitch.
Monza have allowed the fewest headed goals (one) in Serie B this season, while Brocchi's side have conceded 10 goals from inside the box – the least in the league, while they have scored five goals inside the opening 15 minutes of play – the joint most in 2020-21.
"Monza are a mix of experienced players and great young talents. The right mix to achieve our goals. Players like Balotelli and Boateng can help Mota, Carlos Augusto, Frattesi, Colpani or Bettella, all under-21 players for Italy and Portugal," the 44-year-old Brocchi said.
"You can't only field experienced players, you have to look for the right mix and this is what Antonelli and I looked for. I think experience helps youngsters and their exuberance helps the expert ones."
Manchester City treble-winners can be judged among the greats – Pep Guardiola
Pep Guardiola believes Manchester City have earned a place among the greats after finally winning the Champions League.
City completed the treble on a glorious night in Istanbul on Saturday as they beat Inter Milan 1-0 in a hard-fought final with a 68th-minute Rodri strike.
City have dominated the domestic scene under Guardiola, winning five Premier League titles in six years as well as two FA Cups and four Carabao Cups, but European success had eluded them.
“You have to win in Europe to be considered a great team and we did it,” said Guardiola in his post-match press conference at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium.
The challenge now for City will be to build on their triumph and establish a dynasty in European football.
Guardiola said: “I don’t want to disappear after one Champions League. We have to work hard next season and be there.
“There are teams who win the Champions League and disappear. We have to avoid that.
“Knowing me it is not going to happen but it is a big relief to have this trophy.”
Guardiola paid tribute to Inter for their dogged performance and to the City hierarchy for keeping faith in him after years of near misses in the competition.
“For Inter, I must congratulate them for their performance,” he said. “I know what they feel because we felt it two years ago.
“There are no words that can handle the pain but they are the second best team in Europe and that is incredible.
“The second word is for my sporting director, CEO and chairman. Normally when you don’t win the Champions League after so many years you are sacked. How many clubs destroy the project?
“It looks like this competition this year was in the stars.
“Now is time to celebrate. I am looking forward to Monday in Manchester on our (open-top bus) with three trophies.”
City have become only the second English team, after Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United in 1999, to have won the treble of Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup in the same season.
Guardiola said: “It is an honour from me to be alongside Sir Alex Ferguson. I got a message from him this morning and it is an honour.”
Match-winner Rodri was thrilled by the achievement.
The midfielder told BT Sport: “I’m emotional. This is a dream come true.
“It wasn’t easy. What a team we faced – unbelievable they way they defended, the way they counter-attacked. They deserve credit because they are a great team but I don’t want to forget about my lads. We did everything.
“Some of these guys are 20, 21, 22, some of them their first final, but we compete like animals.”
Defender-cum-midfielder John Stones was proud to have played his part.
Stones said: “It was the thing that we were missing and I feel so pleased. It’s a pleasure to be a part of this team, to create this history. It’s so special.”
Right-back Kyle Walker, who came off the bench, said: “I’m over the moon. I’m very rarely speechless, but my dream has just come true.”
Inter coach Simone Inzaghi felt his team could hold their heads high.
Inzaghi said: “We do have regrets because defeat is the worst thing in sport but at the same time, I have to congratulate my lads.
“They are very sad, disappointed, but they must be proud of their campaign and the final they played. We didn’t deserve to lose but we played against a top team.
“Manchester City deserve the Champions League considering what they have done in the past years.
“Tonight they played against a great Inter who cornered them, but I congratulate Guardiola. They have gone close to winning it many times but I would have liked them to wait a little bit longer.”
Rio Ferdinand: We all agree Pep Guardiola is one of greatest managers ever
Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand believes Pep Guardiola did not need to lead his side to an historic treble to put himself in contention for “the greatest” football manager of all time.
Rodri’s 68th-minute strike in Saturday’s 1-0 Champions League final victory over Inter Milan was enough to secure the Spanish manager a 12th major trophy with City and anoint him as the first manager to secure two European trebles, having also accomplished the feat with Barcelona in 2009.
Champions League winner Ferdinand heaped praise on the City boss using an unlikely artistic analogy to describe what he feels is Guardiola’s unmatched vision.
He told BT Sport: “Does he need this game to be recognised as one of the greatest, if not the greatest? We’re all I think in agreeance, he doesn’t even need it because of the way he sees the games. He has his teams painting pictures like we’ve never seen in my lifetime.
“(Like Picasso), Michaelangelo, however you want to do it.”
Ferdinand was equally certain Guardiola’s men, who needed several spectacular stops from Ederson to secure the European title, would never be forgotten, adding they were now: “Immortal. Statues galore.
“Listen, this team have played a brand of football that around the world is looked at, is admired. This has been a project and a process for a long time, for many years now, Pep Guardiola coming in. But these players have produced some football that is out of this world. Individually but as a collective this team will go down in history obviously.
“They deserve to. A fantastic team and they’ve dug deep when they needed to, and they’ve been able to play both sides of the game. I think that’s been the difference between this Manchester City team to past ones. They can pass, they can play the fairytale football but also when need be they can dig in, roll their sleeves up and fight through games as well. Balance is everything in this team.”
Ferdinand’s fellow pundit Joleon Lescott was part of the Manchester City side under Roberto Mancini that secured a club-first Champions League berth in 2011.
He observed a change in Guardiola over the course of a Premier League season that saw City looking up at Arsenal in the table before securing a third consecutive title and the FA Cup at the campaign’s close.
He told BT Sport: ” I think he’s been the most open and honest this season. I think it was the Spurs game when he came out and said he doesn’t recognise the team. No one’s seeing this outcome in the first half of the season. No one’s seeing a treble.
“Then he outed Kevin De Bruyne and wanted more, he did the same thing with Kyle Walker. So the relationship you have with a group of players, you can only do that if you are so close and you are genuine about your connection with a group of players.”
Cesc Fabregas, who played under Guardiola at Barcelona, recalled the days the City boss was untested in England, even drawing doubters who wondered if he could recreate his success in the English game.
Since joining City in 2016 Guardiola has led the side to five Premier League titles, two FA Cups, four League Cups and a Champions League.
Fabregas told the broadcaster: “He’s a very tough manager to play for because he demands the absolute best, but the day-to-day you have fun because he has a philosophy that every player dreams of.
“We first thought, not me because I knew the way he worked first-hand, but that when he came to England he would find it difficult. Can he bring this type of play to the country?
“And everyone doubted him. But he’s a very special man, a very special person, a very special manager and I am delighted for him.”
Pep Guardiola emotional as Manchester City win Champions League to seal treble
Pep Guardiola admitted “this f****** trophy is so difficult to win” after watching Manchester City finally end their wait for Champions League glory.
Rodri’s goal secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Inter Milan in Istanbul to complete the treble derby rivals Manchester United achieved in 1999.
Asked how he was feeling after the presentation, Guardiola told BT Sport: “Tired, calm, satisfied of course. This f****** trophy is so difficult to win. It could not be different, we knew it.”
City were not at their fluent best as Inter frustrated them for long periods but they got there in the end, much to the Spaniard’s delight.
He added: “Winning this competition, the treble, is so difficult, so that’s why it’s not important the way, it’s enough to get it.”
City dominated the first half but could not find a way through Inter, and they were dealt a blow when star man Kevin De Bruyne limped off before the break.
However, Rodri’s sweet 68th-minute strike proved decisive and sparked wild celebrations on and off the pitch, though not before Federico Dimarco hit the bar and Ederson saved well from Romelu Lukaku and Robin Gosens.
Guardiola said: “At the end, Ederson, they could draw, maybe Phil [Foden] could have scored a second one. In this competition, it is [the toss of] a coin and that we were there, I think it was written in the stars. This season, it belongs to us and we did it.”
Asked what had changed about his side to finally get them over the line in Europe’s biggest club competition, the City boss said: “I think we defend a little bit better in the box with our four central defenders, who are proper defenders. We made mistakes, but I had the feeing we were solid.
“We didn’t make a bad, bad game, a little bit anxious at the start, but in general it was not bad and with the momentum we started winning the Premier League, the FA Cup and now finishing here.”
City’s momentum grew during the season after a testing start as Arsenal took the Premier League by the scruff of the neck, although they returned after the World Cup finals in determined fashion and timed their run to perfection.
Asked if it had been a frustrating start to the campaign, Guardiola said: “It was not frustrating. It was maybe not our best level, but Arsenal were beyond exceptional.
“But after the World Cup, the team made a step forward and we were there.”
Guardiola admitted he could not even begin to think about next season and the task of defending the club’s titles, but questioned the wisdom of his players heading off on international duty after their celebrations.
He said: “Right now, I don’t have any energy to think about next season, it’s impossible. We need to have a break, the season is too long.
“Most of these guys go to the national team to play again – honestly, UEFA, FIFA, think about it. We finished the Premier League what, two or three weeks ago? They’re on holiday and they come back for two weeks?
“These guys will have two or three weeks off and after, start again next season. It’s too much.
“Anyway, next season will be next season and of course we are going to start from zero. This is our job.”
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