'Rocco thought the crowd was Italian'

AC Milan received a rousing welcome on their arrival at the airport last night for a second visit to the islands. Their one-week winter training camp here culminates with a friendly against Malta champions Birkirkara next Tuesday at the National Stadium.

No doubt, the San Siro giants enjoy immense popularity all around the continent not least our islands where three supporters clubs, hosting the Maltese and Gozitan Rossoneri, are based.

The Milan Supporters Club (Malta) was established in 1963 and one of the first members in the organisation was staunch Italian football follower Peter Buontempo.

This second visit by Milan to Malta rekindles memories of the days when Buontempo succeeded Gaspare Battistino as club president and along with his committee, that included John Dalli and Joe Sammut as secretary and treasurer respectively, they worked tirelessly to keep the club functioning and realise a distant dream of seeing their favourite team playing here.

"There was great enthusiasm at the time," Buontempo told The Times yesterday.

"The Tifosi Italiani club was already established in 1963 but there was a great response when the Milan club was introduced.

"Those were difficult days but we used to meet regularly and discuss our plans. We did not have any offices at first and our meeting places were often the La Valette Band Club or the Anglo Maltese League."

There were limited means of communication in the 60s but the committee still managed to get into contact with AC Milan.

"Milan were always regarded as a great club and bringing them over here was something big for us. We needed someone else to help us in that venture. So, we got in touch with Hibernians and the ground management at the old Empire Stadium.

"Finally, our dream was fulfilled in December 1968. Milan decided to come and played against Hibernians at the Gzira stadium. That was a great day for the club and Italian football followers.

"The excitement was so great that Milan coach Nereo Rocco at one point thought that those cheering the squad outside the airport were Italians based in Malta.

"We told him they were Maltese and he was delighted to see their reaction.

"Milan beat Hibernians 2-0 in the friendly but the result did not upset us that much because our main objective was to see the team playing here. The organisers also promised the supporters club Lm200 but then we were told there were extra expenses to cover and little profits were made... so we got nothing. They told us 9,000 spectators entered the stadium but we were convinced there were more... much more.

"Anyway, we never insisted on that sum as our goal was reached... nothing was going to dampen our enthusiasm.

"Now, I'm looking forward for Tuesday's match. I've already got the ticket, my children bought it for me. Watching Milan play will bring back the good old memories of December 29, 1968."

Buontempo will be 70 this month. He is very much involved in the Valletta Local Council and his only allegiances in sport were always to the football team from the capital city and Milan.

"I can't tell exactly how long I've been supporting Milan," he said.

"But, they were the only team outside Malta I've ever followed. When Milan travelled south for a league game in the late 50s and 60s my father used to take me on a ferry across the channel to Sicily to see them play. I was a young teenager at the time.

"I've also been to San Siro and seen several Milan stars playing but the greatest of them all was Gianni Rivera... Nils Liedholm was good and so was Cesare Maldini and Franco Baresi but Rivera was the best. You won't see players of that calibre these days."