San Siro applauds the return of Milan's eternal captain: Franco Baresi in the stands after illness

Milan showed its appreciation for club legend and honorary vice president, Franco Baresi, ahead of this afternoon’s clash with Sassuolo.

The 65-year-old former defender and captain returned to the tribuna after some serious recent health issues kept him away for several months.

He had previously been seen visiting Rossoneri headquarters in recent weeks, but today, Baresi sat in the San Siro’s stands for the match against the mid-table Neroverdi.

#Baresi in tribuna dopo la malattia: e San Siro applaude il ritorno del suo eterno capitano
La leggenda rossonera allo stadio per #MilanSassuolo dopo l'intervento per rimuovere un nodulo ai polmoni pic.twitter.com/NFxzbs5vQJ
— I fatti nostri (@Infofatti) December 14, 2025

The man with 719 Milan appearances, six Scudetti, and three European Cups underwent surgery to remove a nodule in his lungs in early August. Following the surgery, the club issued a statement on his behalf at the time:

“Dear fans, I want to let you know that it will take me some time to get back into shape. Thank you to AC Milan and to all of you for your support. With love, a hug.”

Today, he returned, and the club gave him a long and heartfelt round of applause as a true welcome back for their beloved captain.

GIFN | Max Bradfield