MILAN: The last time a UEFA Champions League match was played at the San Siro was back in February 2014.

Then, Atletico Madrid defeated AC Milan 1-0 in a round-of-16 clash en route to the final where they lost to city rivals Real Madrid.

As Atletico and Real geared up to clash again in the final on Saturday, people in Milan, spoiled over the years with Champions League nights – and successes of its two clubs, welcomed the occasion.

“Champions League football finally!” exclaimed Felipe, a Milan resident, on Saturday. “Our clubs [AC Milan and Inter Milan] have been disappointing over the last two years. But we have the joy of seeing the final.”

While seven-time winners AC Milan weren’t part of the Champions League for the last two seasons, three-time champions Inter’s wait has been longer.

Unlike Milan, though, their last Champions League match saw them win but crash out on away goals after a 2-1 loss to Olympique Marseille in March 2012.

Both teams will not have Champions League football next season as well after Inter Milan finished fourth and AC Milan seventh in the Serie A this season.

Inter Milan were Italy’s last Champions League winners, winning the title in 2010, while AC Milan’s last success came in 2007.

It’s AC Milan’s fall, though, with its great European history — their seven European Cup/Champions League win only behind record ten-time winners Real — that is perplexing.

Next season will be their second without European football.

“AC Milan are prisoners of an era that no longer exists,” said former Dutch midfielder Edgar Davids, who played for both Milan clubs in a stellar career, during a promotional event for the Champions League final.

Inter Milan, meanwhile, have the consolation of the UEFA Europa League — Europe’s second-tier club competition — next season.

“We’re far from the top teams in Europe [at the moment],” former Inter Milan midfielder Dejan Stankovic said during the Champions Festival, where he was part of the AC Milan and Inter Milan Legends team for an exhibition match with World XI legends, on Friday.

“Football is like life. When there are lows, you’re suffering,” added the Serb who was part of the Champions League winning team in 2010.

SUSPECT PACKAGE

Suffering is what the club’s fans have endured too.

And for a city so infatuated with the Champions League, the final of this year’s edition is one they don’t want to miss.

“I don’t have a ticket [for the final] but it feels great that the Champions League is returning to the city,” said Viviana hours before the kickoff as she and her friends gathered outside the San Siro.

“It feels good that Milan is hosting the final. But it would’ve been better if a Milan team was playing tonight.”

Instead, it will feature two teams from Madrid.

And football fans in Milan mixed with fans of Atletico and Real for a huge party outside the San Siro hours before kickoff undeterred by the Metro lines being suspended after a suspect package being found five kilometres from the stadium.

The stations were evacuated but it transpired to be a false alarm and the fans were back on the road to San Siro.

The San Siro has been a former home to one of the key characters of the final – Diego Simeone with the former Argentine midfielder having played for Inter Milan from 1997-1999.

“Cholo will enjoy good support in Milan because of his time with Inter,” Argentine journalist Cesar Capandegui predicted. “It will be fitting that he wins Atletico’s first Champions League title, and the first of his managerial career, here.”

Real’s Mateo Kovacic can also call San Siro his former home — having player for Inter Milan for two years before switching to the Spanish capital this summer — and so can Atletico’s Fernando Torres — who was with AC Milan for six months at the start of last season.

While one of Real or Atletico will win, there is no doubt though that the Champions League final will see another page added to an already glorious history of the San Siro.

And with San Siro being the focal point of world football for a couple of hours on Saturday night — just like in the days of the past, the Milanese are rejoicing.

Published in Dawn, May 29th, 2016