Milan light up the night for star
● Kobe Bryant, who grew up in Italy between the ages of 6 and 13, was a devout fam of AC Milan football club.
Milan, Jan. 29: AC Milan and it’s fans paid tribute to Kobe Bryant with lights and applause before and during Tuesday’s Italian Cup game against Torino at the San Siro stadium.
Bryant, who grew up in Italy between the ages of
6 and 13, was a devout Milan fan. The 18-time NBA All-Star with the Los Angeles Lakers died Sunday with his 13-yearold daughter, Gianna, in a helicopter crash near Calabasas, California.
As Milan and Torino warmed up before the game, the words “Legends Never Die” and “SempreKobe” — a play on the “SempreMilan,” or “AlwaysMilan,” hashtag often used by the club — were displayed on the advertising boards around the San Siro while images of Bryant were shown on the giant screen.
Shortly before the teams walked out for the kickoff, the stadium was darkened and the public announcer paid tribute to Bryant while fans applauded and held up phone lights. The song “Who wants to live forever” by Queen was then played.
Both football teams also wore black armbands. In the 24th minute, fans around the stadium stood to applaud in tribute to Bryant, who wore No. 24. Fans also displayed a banner which read “Rest in peace Kobe and Gianna forever together.”
AC Milan beat Torino 42 after extra time.
Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who spent nearly two years in Los Angeles with MLS side LA Galaxy, did not stop to talk to reporters after the match but when asked by The Associated Press about Bryant, the Swedish forward shook his head sadly and said: “Ooof. Heavy.”