Sad news for AC Milan fans. A figure who made a big contribution to the club nicknamed the Rossoneri in the 1980s to the 2000s, Silvio Berlusconi died at the age of 86, Monday (12/6). Silvio Berlusconi died at the San Raffaele hospital, Milan after six weeks of being treated for a lung disease.
Given the figure of this media tycoon from Italy, it seems unfair to only discuss his abilities when leading AC Milan. Outside of football, it must be admitted that Silvio Berlusconi is a controversial figure. Berlusconi was born in Milan on September 29, 1936. He came from a middle class family. His father, Luigi, is a bank employee while his mother, Rosa Bossi, only plays a domestic role in the household.
Berlusconi is the first child of Luigi and Rosa. He has two younger sisters, Maria Francesca and Paolo. Before being known as a media tycoon and reliable politician, Berlusconi had worked as a singer on a cruise ship, a job he did in 1960. Coming from a middle-class family, Berlusconi was educated up to university level. He graduated with a law degree from the University of Milan.
Interestingly, the blood of music actually flows in Berlusconi. Apart from being a singer on a cruise ship, he also formed a band and became a bassist there.
AC Milan’s legendary chant sung by Tony Renis is the fruit of his work. In addition, Berlusconi also wrote songs on two albums by Italian singer Mariano Apicella. After struggling with just being a band on a cruise ship, Berlusconi then swerved to become an entrepreneur. Plunging as a businessman brought Berlusconi close to a number of political figures, one of which was Bettino Craxi, former Italian PM and leader of the Italian socialist party.
Berlusconi’s interest in football began when he bought AC Milan. He acquired AC Milan in 1986, one year after divorcing his first wife, Carla Elvira Dall’Oglio. At that time, Berlusconi poured 47 million lira to take ownership of AC Milan from Giuseppe Farina. AC Milan is heading for a new era under Berlusconi’s leadership.
AC Milan in Berlusconi’s early years had only a mediocre club. They are only in the middle of the Serie A standings. Understandably, at that time AC Milan had just been promoted from Serie B. Berlusoni’s business brain, which later brought AC Milan, was transformed into a new force in Italian football. AC Milan is the most feared team not only in Italy but across Europe, even the world.
AC Milan fans in the 80s, of course, still remember very well how Berlusconi brought in the Dutch trio, even though in that era a number of Italian clubs were infatuated with German players. The Dutch trio, Marco van Basten, Ruud Gullit and Frank Rijkaard brought AC Milan to become king in the Italian Serie A. Even AC Milan in the era of Fabio Capello’s coaching was able to go unbeaten in one season.
Not only local titles, Berlusconi also brought AC Milan to win the Champions League. In the Berlusconi era, AC Milan legends also emerged, from France Baresi, Mauro Tassotti to Paolo Maldini. At the end of 2017, Silvio Berlusconi decided to release all of his shares in AC Milan. Several years earlier, he still gave a sweet score to the San Siro public with the 2002-2003 and 2006-2007 Champions League titles.
Apart from the sweet notes he made for AC Milan, Silvio Berlusconi has a dark record as a businessman, politician or Prime Minister of Italy. The Guardian in its report said it had a tainted life record, ranging from sex scandals, corruption allegations to tax fraud cases. “Many people love him, many hate him. Today everyone must realize that his influence on political life, but also the economy, sports and television has never been done by anyone,” said Matteo Renzi, former Italian PM regarding Berlusconi’s figure.
When he was Prime Minister of Italy for two terms, 2001 and 2006, he was rocked by quite a few scandals. In 2008 when he returned to become prime minister of Italy, he was forced to resign in 2011 due to the Italian government’s acute debt crisis. At that time, the Italian public was also shocked because Berlusconi stumbled on an alleged sex scandal with underage girls, an accusation he always denied.
Regarding the alleged sex scandal, an Italian court acquitted Berlusconi of all charges. But in 2012, he was sentenced to one year of community service in a tax fraud case. Regarding the Berlusconi controversy, the English Wikipedia page has even made its own special column. A summary of media coverage of the Berlusconi scandal is reviewed by Wikipedia.
There was controversy about his economic policies when he was PM of Italy. Then there was also a clash of interests when he became PM of Italy and status as a media tycoon. “The Berlusconi government has even passed a law that shortens the penalty for tax evasion,”
The Economist, one of the media outside Italy, is the party that often writes investigative reports about Berlusconi’s depravity and evil as a media tycoon. According to the findings of The Economist, Berlusconi when he was PM of Italy maintained effective control of 90 percent to control national television broadcasting through his company.
The Economist also called Silvio Berlusconi the most corrupt and self-serving Italian PM. David Lane, a journalist for The Economist thoroughly reviews Berlusconi’s actions in his book entitled ‘Berlusconi’s Shadow’
Interestingly, Berlusconi is not only accused of evading taxes in Italy but also in Spain. In 2005, he was charged with monopolizing television media. However, because of his status as a member of the European parliament, Berlusconi is untouchable by law. In July 2008, the Spanish Supreme Court acquitted Berlusconi of all charges. Not only tax and monopoly issues, Berlusconi is also suspected of having close ties to mafia groups.
He was once tried on charges related to the evil record of the Italian mafia group, Cosa Nostra. In addition, he is also said to have ties with mafia groups in Sicily. The accusation of being close to the Sicilian mafia originated with a figure named Vittorio Mangano. This figure is known as a bouncer for the Sicilian mafia group who later worked as a horse handler at Berlusconi’s San Martino villa.
In 1996, a mafia informant, Salvatore Cancemi, exposed Berlusconi’s relationship with Salvatore Riina, the head of the Sicilian mafia. The Forza Italia party he founded is also suspected of being affiliated with a number of mafia groups. It was even mentioned that while in power, this party was trying to pass laws that eased Cosa Nostra crimes.
Not only one or two mobsters, Berlusconi was also associated with Stefano Bontade, a mafia boss in the 1970s. When he was a real estate broker, Berlusconi met with Bontade at Arcore to discuss many things. This accusation was later refuted by Berlusconi’s lawyers even though a lot of evidence was in the form of photographs. Despite having a long track record, Berlusconi’s death still has a special place for AC Milan fans in particular, even for his political opponents.
“We represent different and opposite worlds. But our rivalry has not turned into animosity on a personal and contentious level but there is a sphere of mutual respect,” said Romano Prodi, former president of the European Commission, Berlusconi’s opposition party.
ASL
