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It has been a bittersweet week for a particular group of football fans in Dublin.
Members of the official AC Milan fan club in Ireland are agreeing to miss out on a unique opportunity to see their heroes play in Ireland.
The Italian giants have been drawn in to play Shamrock Rovers in a successful European tie at Tallaght later this month.
But much to a disappointment for AC Milan fans in Dublin, the game must be played behind closed doors due to Covid-19 restrictions.
Fabio Parente, who founded Milan Club Dublin in 2014, said: “When I heard the news about the Europa League draw, I was happy and upset.
“I was happy because I had dreamed of this moment for years since our club was founded, but at the same time upset because I know that we will not be able to meet with the players due to Covid-19 restrictions.”
Fabio said the fan club is “the home of the Rossoneri in the Republic of Ireland.”
“I missed watching the games with my friends in Italy. I set up this club to meet friends and watch the games together. We started out as a few, but now we have more than 100 members,” Fabio explained.
One of the members from Dublin is Patrick Farisé from Veneto in Italy.
Patrick said: “When I saw the draw, it was disappointing. It’s great to have Milan here, but it’s so upsetting that it’s happening during this pandemic.
“The only time the stadiums are closed, we cannot meet the players due to Covid-19. It is disappointing that we cannot receive our players as we would like.”
Another member is Alexander Fay from Dublin city center.
Alexander said: “It’s disappointing, but it’s good to know that the team will be here.
“It is the first time since 1975 that we have played against an Irish team. The last one was Athlone Town and it was 0-0, so a victory against an Irish team awaits us.
AC Milan will face Shamrock Rovers at Tallaght Stadium on Thursday 17 September.
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