Milan, Juve, and media bias? (1 Viewer)

[swag]

Milanistas can humor my perceptions here...

Now sports journalists always take liberties with language, trying to sound more dramatic than the situation ever warrants. (Hey -- it's hard to make those 0-0 draws between Chievo and Bologna sound exciting all the time.) And it's pretty easy for a juventino like myself to claim there's a biased press against us. But I've noticed a trend all this season...

Everytime Milan gains a few points on Juve, the headlines are: "Milan slashes lead", "Milan cuts Juve lead in half", "Milan's fire up the table shoots flames licking Juve's fat ass", and ridiculously overwrought stuff like that. And when Juve regains the same amount of points, the headlines run along the lines of, "Milan slips up", "Unlucky Milan drops points to Juve", or "Milan valiantly goes down fighting to proud Bologna, and undeserving Juve takes advantage of lowly Atalanta". Crap like that.

It's rarely about Juve ... it's often focused on Milan. As if Juve are just passive actors in Milan's media play here.

Which begs the following questions:

a) Is there a general media favoritism for Milan over Juve?

b) If a) is true, is that perhaps because, oh, maybe Berlusconi owns something like 90% of the Italian media?

c) Is this just another instance of the pro-Real Madrid/Barca/Milan/ManU/Arsenal sportswriter cartel, and Juve has always ranked little better than 2nd tier in this list?

You know the list -- where a great number of sports journalist monkeys with a pen or microphone act as if the world was cheated if one of their first-tier list teams doesn't win the CL?

Let the conspiracy theories fly! Rant on...

 

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[Martin]

I have a slightly different angle on that. To me it seems like the pro-Milan people are very good at making Milan sound good. It's like when they win, when they're on a streak, getting results in Europe, it's all about the grand Milan, the legacy from Van Basten and whatever. Of course when they screw up and lose two games on the trot, people start talking about crisis again.

But when Juve are ahead like we've been all season, there is far less grandeur about our team judging by the pundits. It's all tight games, lucky breaks, flashy individual moments but nothing great about it. Yeah, as if Milan have won every game dominating from beginning to end.

 

[Lawnchair Bes]

its all about marketing and juve is not very good at it. also juve doesnt always play exciting football

 

[Elnur_E65]

It is interesting.

Maybe it's because Milan is an underdog?

No doubt though that Juventus brand has a greater value than that of AC Milan.

 

[flieeeekke]

++ [ originally posted by Martin ] ++

But when Juve are ahead like we've been all season, there is far less grandeur about our team judging by the pundits. It's all tight games, lucky breaks, flashy individual moments but nothing great about it. Yeah, as if Milan have won every game dominating from beginning to end.

but it is like that, we may be winning, but most of the time its done the hard way.

 

[Azzurri7]

what Swag said is right, usually media always keep an eye on Milan rather then Juve, it's like always Praising the milan side, i agree Milan always play attractive football but that doesn't mean also Juve sucks right?....so i think option a is the one !

 

[Martin]

++ [ originally posted by Fliakis ] ++
but it is like that, we may be winning, but most of the time its done the hard way.

++ [ originally posted by Martin ] ++
Yeah, as if Milan have won every game dominating from beginning to end.

 

[Daddi]

Media should be after Juve more and report more stuff about Juve. Especially in Sweden. And not just Zuper Zlatan Azzizt king

 

[IncuboRossonero]

Simply: NO. But its an amusing observation coming from a Juve fan because all my life I have noticed (as have Romanisti, Interisti, Laziali, etc.) that Juve gets ALL the press and the breaks.
Look, Juve is not Italy's darling for nothing. They were the TEAM OF ITALY given that in 1982 many of their players made up the Italian World Cup Champion Squad AND that they had Platini while Milan was in the midst of a "Pre-Berlusconi" gambling scandal AND later had the Italian forwards such as Baggio and Del Piero who were marketable and ITALIAN. Milanisti always felt Maldini never got the push he should have from Italy partly because he was a defender and partly because he played for Milan. Signori and Zola played second fiddle to players like Ravanelli and Vialli who were "2 hit wonders".
I will readily admit that Juve has gotten its fair share of bad press HOWEVER when your team doctor is charged of a doping scandal and found guilty what do you expect? How is this bias news coverage? Should the media be covering the fact that Inzaghi didn't help an old lady cross the street instead?
More over, if you look at Juve and the refs controversy which dates back to the Fiorentina Scandal and continues with the Inter finale....the Parma fiasco...etc. they actually didn't fair off that bad considering.
Lastly, just look at Del Piero. The media in Italy created this Italian Goldenboy image of Del Piero where he will lead Italy to great glory. They shoved him down everyone's throats only to see him "CHOKE" tournament after tournament. Yet they kept it coming. No player in Italy was 'forgiven' more than Del Piero.
Yes, I could see your point Swag. However, its long overdue.

 

[Lawnchair Bes]

++ [ originally posted by IncuboRossonero ] ++
. Yet they kept it coming. No player in Italy was 'forgiven' more than Del Piero.
Yes, I could see your point Swag. However, its long overdue.

DP has been taking his righfully deserved shit the last tournaments, even more than he deserves

 

[swag]

++ [ originally posted by IncuboRossonero ] ++
Simply: NO. But its an amusing observation coming from a Juve fan because all my life I have noticed (as have Romanisti, Interisti, Laziali, etc.) that Juve gets ALL the press and the breaks.

No question that no team in Italy invokes an outright riot and revolt as much as Juve does en route to another Scudetto. The claims of questionable referees, etc., really came to a head for their 25th.

And certainly, Italy's coverage and favoritism for Juve are laid on pretty thick. But outside of Italy, I've often found the opposite effect. At least in recent years.

Look, Juve is not Italy's darling for nothing. They were the TEAM OF ITALY given that in 1982...

I so rudely cut your quote here to point out that this was over 20 years ago. And the new school of sportswriters is far past that... save for maybe those in the Italian media with long memories. An entire generation has passed since then. Milan wasn't even in Serie A for part of the 80s -- so I don't see that as relevant with any media coverage of Juve relative to Milan today.

Also, I do agree that the whole Juve drug scandal was taken a little lightly by the press. But I think that's also because we live in an era of the all-drug Olympics, where it's almost expected. (Hey, I live up the peninsula from BALCO, afterall. Every competitive athlete on a bike around here has hypodermics hanging from their thighs. )

But I really am focused more on a bias where the world's sports media treats Milan as more of the favored image of Italian football -- with pesky Juve often just getting in the way. Maybe it is the style of play. Maybe because Milan has had far more success at the European level than Juve (as opposed to Serie A).

It's just something I've really noticed this season.

 

[IncuboRossonero]

++ [ originally posted by swag ] ++It's just something I've really noticed this season.

This season I agree with however it may have to do with many things: the drug scandal (having your 'best' team's doctor just come off a guilty verdict in a doping trial). Still abiding by the ancient myth that Italy is all defense and no fantasy in their game: which in a way journalists feel Juve is doing.
Don't be naive though, Milan get their fair share of critics and sometimes to a ridiculous level: i.e.

Asking for a public inquiry into Berlusconi's finances when he stated Milan was interested in Gilardino.
Being up in arms when Milan bought Nesta and comparing it to the plight of the unemployed. Since when does a P.M. have to be personally responsible to get indivduals into the workforce? They seem to imply that his money should go to the government rather than his investments.
The on going Inter and Roma whining that Milan (and Juve) buy cups not through actual payment but lobbying.

The real media darling is Inter and the over-rated Mancini.

 

[Eaglesnake_1]

There are three important factors to note in this:

A.C. Milan is owned by Berlusconi (with some positive and some negative impications on this.)

The role that Juventus has played historically as "the big bro that wins them all and everyone hates" in serie A. Nick is right, not in vain Juve is knowed as the Italy darling, because is the most loved one, but also the most hated, too. (check the antijuve sites, as an example.)

They are the beauty...we are the beast. At the end, who eats who?

 

[Geof]

well... in the end the beast becomes a beautiful prince, they marry and have a lot of children...

 

[Daddi]

++ [ originally posted by Geof ] ++
well... in the end the beast becomes a beautiful prince, they marry and have a lot of children...

 

[Maresca]

you just have to take a look at Tutto Sport.. this a turin based newspaper, and the first 5-6 pages are only for juve..

 

[kurvengeflüster]

++ [ originally posted by Maresca78 ] ++
you just have to take a look at Tutto Sport.. this a turin based newspaper, and the first 5-6 pages are only for juve..

it would be treasons when a Turin based newspaper covers only Milan on the first 5-6 pages

 

[Azzurri7]

hehe...

 

[Chxta]

Look at the records.

 

[arc]

never read an italian newspaper