AC Milan hoping for compensation from US Soccer

Oct 15, 5:39 pm EDT

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MILAN (AP)—AC Milan is hoping for compensation from the U.S. Soccer Federation because defender Oguchi Onyewu was injured in a World Cup qualifier against Costa Rica.

“I’m very angry because once again the national teams take players and we lose out due to injuries,” AC Milan chief executive officer Adriano Galliani told Italian media Thursday.

“This is a problem that needs to be resolved. We at Milan are expecting compensation from the American federation. We can’t pay a player who can’t play for six months,” Galliani said.

Onyewu tore the patellar tendon in his left knee late in Wednesday night’s 2-2 draw against Costa Rica in Washington. He left Standard Liege after last season and signed a three-year contract with AC Milan in July.

USSF president Sunil Gulati declined comment on Galliani’s remarks.

The Italian club said in a statement on its Web site that it had been informed of the injury by the American federation and, if further tests in the United States confirm the initial prognosis, Onyewu will be operated on.

Milan said club physician Massimo Manara was “in constant contact” with Onyewu, and that coach Leonardo and several teammates had also called to offer encouragement.

The 27-year-old has appeared in just one of the club’s 10 competitive matches this season, making his official debut as a 60th-minute substitute in the 1-0 Champions League loss to Zurich on Sept. 30.

Updated Oct 15, 5:39 pm EDT
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111 Comments

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  1. nathan
    111. Posted by nathan Sun Oct 18 5:50pm EDT

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    Charles you don't know what you're talking about. I got my Onyewu national team jersey a year and a half ago.
  2. luis a
    110. Posted by luis a Sun Oct 18 4:11pm EDT

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    compensation for what? onyewu isnt any good. it's not like he;s Gio dos santos or anything alike.
  3. paul
    109. Posted by paul Sun Oct 18 1:00pm EDT

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    Gooch plays like an "orange cone".
    Will go down as best injury for the sake of his team award.
    Easiest player on the USMNT to beat one-on-one.
    Ihope he signs with USL so he gets playing time to learn to stop ball watching.
  4. Charles
    108. Posted by Charles Sun Oct 18 9:54am EDT

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    U dont seem to possess the rightful measure of grey matters to delve in issues like club-country issues since u could go back to World wars to justify why US shouldnt pay AC Milan for Onyewu's injury... do u remember that Onyewu was not known in d US team until AC Milan bought him and then US could call him to play for dem.
  5. Brian W
    107. Posted by Brian W Sun Oct 18 9:24am EDT

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    What's up with these Italians? First they rip poor Diego Maradona's ear-rings off because they say he owes them back taxes and now they want the US to pay them because one of their bench warmers got hurt!! Look Dudes - we bailed you out during World War II and then helped build your Country back up again. That should be enough and as far as I know - Italy, like France has never really repaid their war debts but the US has not hounded them for money or busted into Adriano Galliani's house and ripped off his jewelry! I realize times are tough, but jeeez-chill out! Try inventing a new pasta dish to market or hit up some of your Mafia peeps here in the US for money but quit being so greedy!!!
  6. bizriak
    106. Posted by bizriak Sun Oct 18 9:05am EDT

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    OK, and if he had been injured during one of your games? Or a reserve game? Would you pay him then? Is this some sort of clause in his contract, that if he is injured during international duty he doesn't get paid? If you don't want players involved in international games due to possible injury, then forbid all your players from participating in national team games.

    This is ridiculous.
  7. Charles
    105. Posted by Charles Sat Oct 17 11:54pm EDT

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    i beg of you ,bunch of cowards with a very high indecorum of speech ,pls refer your comments to galliani and not the entire famil of AC MILAN.We are great and remain great.your words can change any thing but you sure can say whatever!!!!!!!!!!!you own your buca buca.......forza milano,red and black for ever
  8. <i>fosterdoggie</i>
    104. Posted by fosterdoggie Sat Oct 17 4:14pm EDT

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    Gallaini is a money-hungry opportunist. Why pay him for a player that AC Milan has used less than one hour for the entire season? Are they not paying him when he doesn't play due to their own choice? That team must need money very badly to sell Kaka and now pull this crap.
  9. MarkL
    103. Posted by MarkL Sat Oct 17 9:40am EDT

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    Would they ask for compensation if he were playing for italy?
  10. <i>caliguy_30</i>
    102. Posted by caliguy_30 Sat Oct 17 9:22am EDT

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    ok Gouch is a "good" player not a great one ... yeah yeah ask Spain and Brazil .... If as a soccer nation these two games are the only one we are going to reference every-time we want to make a point we are going to sound very pathetic indeed. TWO GAMES DON"T MAKE A HISTORY!
    One question ... who is responsible for the first CR goal? oh yeas forgot about that one huh! how convenient.
    I am not sure the Us need to compensate Milan for anything, playing for the national team should be a right for every foreign player and getting hurt is part of the game. Milan should indeed stop crying and lick it s own wounds.
  11. Colin N
    101. Posted by Colin N Sat Oct 17 6:40am EDT

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    Gooch is a damn good defender, if you think that is a lie ask spain and brazil! Only a fool would think he isn't! In the 40 min he played for Milan he was very good...Milan can go to hell....they are no set of rules for the US and other teams...if i was the head of the UFA i would call them and say go @#$% yourself! I think they choose to get gooch to keep him down, he is as good as any of the defenders they have on that team!
  12. Michael H
    100. Posted by Michael H Sat Oct 17 2:19am EDT

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    yet another example of Europe's lack of respect for the american game. Gooch wasn't even playing he was a bench sub man. plus when a European player goes down they don't get a cent from the national team.

    They must think we are a bunch of idiots over here man.
  13. Meok
    99. Posted by Meok Fri Oct 16 11:43pm EDT

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    Oh, by the way, Gooch can't play....In your city, there's at least 5 soccer players who are a better defenders than Gooch.
  14. Meok
    98. Posted by Meok Fri Oct 16 11:35pm EDT

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    How much does the big European teams get from European countries when players get injured during international competitions? Let me guess.........ZERO
    How much do they get for players that sit on the bench and get injured in international competitions?
    .....ZERO.
    Milan AC is on the downside, they have bad management, they are falling behind all the other big clubs and now they are trying to pull stunts to hide their incompetence.
  15. starfuker
    97. Posted by starfuker Fri Oct 16 11:33pm EDT

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    Gooch looked like he had a problem before his injury. The way he stood there while his opponent scored that goal. Whoever signed him at Milan must have been smoking something from California. In most games, he looks awkward. He's not a dominating player. If he's not the most dominating defender on the USA, how can he possibly be Milan worthy? You'd think if Milan was to sign an American it would be Donovan - at least he's a 'marquee' player. Any ways, Milan needs to off him and this is a good opportunity.
  16. str8J
    96. Posted by str8J Fri Oct 16 9:47pm EDT

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    the guy who wrote "national teams before club teams" ....you must be a complete idiot. I'd rather see Chelsea vs. Real Madrid, Barcelona vs. Man U, Bayern vs. Liverpool, Inter vs. Lyon anyday, then see the same 4 top national teams stomp down the rest. Clubs Nationals.
  17. John B
    95. Posted by John B Fri Oct 16 8:34pm EDT

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    There was a very big reason to play the starters and try and get a result. 1 with Davies going out you needed to see how another forward will work with the team. 2 Onyewu needed to get playing time because he isn't getting much with Milan. 3 With a result and first place in the group they have a chance to be seeded, which could help prevent them being in the "group of death". 4 It's not like they have an abundance of central defenders, with Demerit out. 5 They actually played Casey, Cherundalo, Holden, and Falhaber non of which are starters on a regular bases.
  18. <i>mikebdb22</i>
    94. Posted by mikebdb22 Fri Oct 16 8:20pm EDT

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    what a face...only a mother can love
  19. <i>asafegous</i>
    93. Posted by asafegous Fri Oct 16 8:09pm EDT

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    gissepi rossi. thats americas compensation for onyewu. i wonder if micheal parkhurst is the clear choice to fill in for an injured onyewu.
  20. Ruben
    92. Posted by Ruben Fri Oct 16 7:14pm EDT

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    i dont get y bradley used all his regularstarters for that game there was no need for that and as a result they ended up loosing oyenwu n they tied they game should have gone with the bench n y would mila b asking for money its not like they even use oyenwu
  21. jorge s
    91. Posted by jorge s Fri Oct 16 6:32pm EDT

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    You're not taking notice that the US was already qualified to the world cup.
    Starting Onyewu or any other of the regular starters is an unjustified risk, not only to AC Milan but the US Soccer as well since six months is a lot of time and no one can guarantee that he'll be ready and in competition shape for the world cup.

    I think that's what irks AC Milan.
  22. Dante C
    90. Posted by Dante C Fri Oct 16 6:07pm EDT

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    Mr. Galliani your stupid commets invited very negative response, and I believe some if not all of them are justified.

    In response to that one of the writer hopes that Italy does not make it past the group stage, is more stupid then the original statement, last time a checked Italy won the last World cup and qualified with all wins and no losses.

    Mr. Galliani should concentrate in getting his team in order, or he should compensate Milan for his non service.
  23. BehzadK
    89. Posted by BehzadK Fri Oct 16 5:07pm EDT

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    Galliani, its Portugal paying for Cristiano Ronaldo's injury?? So please shut the f@$% up and leave AC Milan as soon as possible because you did not anything valuable for the team.
  24. James
    88. Posted by James Fri Oct 16 4:48pm EDT

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    Golly, I thought all clubs carried insurance on their players to protect the club in case something likes this happens. Anybody know for sure?...Jim, USA
  25. James
    87. Posted by James Fri Oct 16 4:46pm EDT

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    Golly, I thought all clubs carried insurance on their players to protect the club in case something likes this happens. Anybody know for sure?...Jim, USA
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