Chaos at AC Milan: Official Dismissal of Igli Tare Marks the End of the Albanian Project at San Siro
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| Igli Tare after being fired from AC Milan, May, 2026, Milan |
But Tare is not the only one packing his bags. In what is being described as a total "housecleaning" at San Siro, the American owner has also fired manager Massimiliano Allegri—the least expected move of all—alongside top executives Giorgio Furlani and Geoffrey Moncada.
The Roots of the Rift: A Failed €80 Million Transfer Market
Igli Tare arrived at Milan in May 2025 with a stellar reputation built during his long and highly successful tenure at Lazio. However, his adventure in Milan did not go as planned. Reports indicate that relations between the former Albanian national team captain and the rest of the club's hierarchy had been fractured for months.
The primary target of criticism was last summer's transfer strategy. Major investments in players like Christopher Nkunku and Ardon Jashari, which cost the club's coffers an estimated total of €80 million, failed to deliver the expected impact on the pitch. Disappointing results in the final weeks of the league and an early exit from the Coppa Italia sealed the Albanian's fate, leading Cardinale to lay the blame for this season's failures squarely at his feet.
Who is Igli Tare? The Career of the Albanian Titan
Despite this bitter departure, Igli Tare remains one of the most respected and influential figures in Albanian football on the international stage.
- Playing Career: Born in Vlorë in 1973, Tare took his first footballing steps at Partizani Tirana before building a solid career in Germany (Karlsruhe, Fortuna Düsseldorf, Kaiserslautern) and later in Serie A with Brescia (where he played alongside legend Roberto Baggio), Bologna, and Lazio.
- National Team Leader: Tare was a cornerstone of the Albanian national team, earning 68 caps and scoring 10 goals between 1997 and 2007, a period during which he also proudly wore the captain's armband.
- The Master of the Market at Lazio: After retiring from active football, he served as Lazio's sporting director for roughly 15 years (until 2023). During that time, he became renowned across Europe for his ability to scout world-class talent on a budget (such as Sergej Milinković-Savić, Luis Alberto, and Ciro Immobile), bringing Lazio both silverware and massive financial capital.
It was precisely this impressive resume that prompted the Rossoneri to hand him the keys to their sporting project. However, the immense pressure of San Siro and a lack of alignment within Milan's management structure cut this project short.
What's Next for AC Milan?
With the firing of Tare and his administrative circle, AC Milan enters a phase of total transition. According to Italian media reports, the leading candidate to replace the Albanian executive as sporting director is Tony D'Amico from Atalanta.
Meanwhile, Zlatan Ibrahimovic's role is expected to be redefined into a more strategic position directly advising owner Cardinale, as the Swedish icon had stayed somewhat in the shadows during this turbulent season.
Tare's departure leaves a bittersweet taste for Albanian football fans, who had hoped to see a compatriot steer the "Rossoneri" back to the pinnacle of European football. However, his vast knowledge and deep experience guarantee that the name Igli Tare won't stay away from the boardrooms of elite continental football for long.
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