Milan bowed before Matteo Piano

An exciting, historic, and emotion-filled evening at "Allianz Cloud" - the stands became a stage for a special tribute to captain Matteo Piano, who will end his impressive career at the end of the season. The match was merely an overture to a moment that transcended the boundaries of sport - a tribute to a man who left an indelible mark on Milan and Italian volleyball.

Retirement as a hero

Even in his final matches, Piano showed why he is a captain - although the result was secondary, he contributed 3 points (2 blocks and one attack), demonstrating his class for the last time in this home. But the true culmination came after the final whistle. The lights in the hall went out, and the silence was filled with anticipation - a moment was approaching that would remain forever in the memory of the fans.

Milan immortalizes its captain

On the big screen, Piano's story came to life - footage from the locker rooms, moments of triumph and dedication, landmark moments with the national team and Milan. And when the spotlights illuminated the hall again, the captain stood in the center of the court, surrounded by over 4000 fans, standing on their feet.

At this special moment, club president Lucio Fusaro, general manager Fabio Lini, and vice president Sabrina Angelescu stood beside him. The three unfolded an emblematic banner with jersey number 11 - a number that, from this evening, is officially retired. This recognition is a symbol of respect and gratitude to a man who not only wore the Milan jersey but embodied it.

Piano, with his unfeigned sincerity, could barely hold back his tears. "Happy and grateful," he managed to say, before quoting words from the songSenza fine ("Endless") - a way to emphasize the eternal bond between him, Milan, and the fans. Finally, one last, but love-filled sentence:"Thank you, Milan!"

Applause, tears, and farewell to teammates

The celebration continued with more acknowledgements - the fans of "Curva Biancorossa", the young talents from the "Training for Future" project, "Curva Arcobaleno" and "Old Stars" joined in the tribute to the captain.

On the big screen, video messages were broadcast from teammates and friends who had shared the journey with him - Andrea Giani, Nicola Pesaresi, Jan Kozamernik, Jean Patry, Trevor Clevenot, Nemanja Petrić, Nimir Abdel-Aziz, Osniel Melgarejo, Trevor Averill, Agustin Loser, and Yuki Ishikawa. Each of them was a part of Piano's story, and this evening was a sign that his legend will live forever.

The applause did not stop, and the fans did not want to leave. The evening ended with autographs and photos, but for Milan and Matteo Piano, there is still one more mission - the playoffs. One last battle for the captain, who will remain forever a part of the club's history.

volleyball.it

photos: volleyball.it