Giroud Scores in His Last AC Milan Match on a Night of Farewells at San Siro

AC Milan's French forward #09 Olivier Giroud (C) makes a heart sign as he celebrates after scoring his team's second goal during the Italian Serie A football match between AC Milan and Salernitana at San Siro Stadium, in Milan on May 25, 2024. as the last match by coach. (AFP)
AC Milan's French forward #09 Olivier Giroud (C) makes a heart sign as he celebrates after scoring his team's second goal during the Italian Serie A football match between AC Milan and Salernitana at San Siro Stadium, in Milan on May 25, 2024. as the last match by coach. (AFP)
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Giroud Scores in His Last AC Milan Match on a Night of Farewells at San Siro

AC Milan's French forward #09 Olivier Giroud (C) makes a heart sign as he celebrates after scoring his team's second goal during the Italian Serie A football match between AC Milan and Salernitana at San Siro Stadium, in Milan on May 25, 2024. as the last match by coach. (AFP)
AC Milan's French forward #09 Olivier Giroud (C) makes a heart sign as he celebrates after scoring his team's second goal during the Italian Serie A football match between AC Milan and Salernitana at San Siro Stadium, in Milan on May 25, 2024. as the last match by coach. (AFP)

Olivier Giroud scored in his final match for AC Milan as the Rossoneri drew with bottom club Salernitana 3-3 on a Saturday night of farewells at San Siro.

The 37-year-old Giroud, who helped Milan to the Serie A title in 2022, is leaving after three years and will join Los Angeles FC.

Giroud was given a standing ovation when he was substituted off six minutes from time, hugging all of his teammates and coach Stefano Pioli as the crowd sang his name.

Milan’s last match of the season was also Pioli’s final match in charge, bringing to an end a five-year stint that included the Champions League semifinal last year as well as the Serie A title.

There were emotional scenes before the match as Pioli was encircled by his players. He had tears in his eyes as he embraced each of them individually as they applauded, while the whole stadium gave him a standing ovation.

Rafael Leão immediately went over to celebrate with Pioli after scoring the opening goal in the 22nd minute following a howler by Salernitana goalkeeper Vincenzo Fiorillo, who dropped the ball at his feet. They were joined by the rest of the Milan team.

Five minutes later it was Giroud’s turn as he acrobatically struck home a corner for his 15th league goal of the season. The France forward has 49 goals for Milan in his three seasons.

Simy pulled one back for Salernitana in the 64th but Davide Calabria restored Milan’s two-goal advantage 13 minutes later.

However, goals from Junior Sambia and Simy in the last three minutes rescued a draw for already-relegated Salernitana in its last top-flight match.

It was also Milan defender Simon Kjær's last match for the club. Pioli, Giroud and Kjær were all celebrated in a special ceremony after the match, and all three struggled to hold back tears.

RECORD-EQUALLING

Alex Sandro made his 327th and final appearance for Juventus as the Brazilian equaled Pavel Nedved’s record for the most matches by a foreign player for the Bianconeri.

Alex Sandro headed in Juve’s second in a 2-0 win over Monza. Federico Chiesa claimed the opener two minutes earlier.

Nicolò Fagioli hit the crossbar in the 16th minute on his first start for Juventus since returning from a seven-month ban for betting violations.

Monza forward Alessio Zerbin was sent off in the final minute following a second yellow card.



Workers Take Down Olympic Rings from Eiffel Tower – for Now

Tourists sit on the Olympic rings displayed in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, on September 27, 2024. (Photo by Thomas SAMSON / AFP)
Tourists sit on the Olympic rings displayed in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, on September 27, 2024. (Photo by Thomas SAMSON / AFP)
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Workers Take Down Olympic Rings from Eiffel Tower – for Now

Tourists sit on the Olympic rings displayed in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, on September 27, 2024. (Photo by Thomas SAMSON / AFP)
Tourists sit on the Olympic rings displayed in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, on September 27, 2024. (Photo by Thomas SAMSON / AFP)

Workers removed the Olympics logo from the Eiffel Tower in the early hours of Friday, returning the beloved monument to its familiar form -- but perhaps only temporarily.

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo has promised to build new Olympic rings and return them to the landmark as a tribute to the hugely successful Olympic Games held in the capital during July and August.

The proposal has polarized opinion in the French capital and has been criticized by descendants of the tower's designer Gustave Eiffel, as well as conservation groups.

After initially suggesting the new rings should be permanent, Hidalgo has proposed they remain on the city's world-renowned symbol until the next Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028.

Workers operating multiple large cranes removed the 30-tonne steel rings from between the first and second floors of the tower during the early hours of Friday morning.

They were first installed just under four months ago, on June 7, and will now be melted down and recycled.

The new rings, which the International Olympic Committee is expected to pay for, would be lighter versions of the originals and less prominent, according to a deputy Paris mayor, Pierre Rabadan.

"In my opinion, it would be better to put them somewhere else because it's a Parisian monument and it's not right that it becomes an advertising medium for an event that is now over," Hugo Staub, a French tourist at the tower on Friday, told AFP.

Culture Minister Rachida Dati, a longtime critic and opponent of Hidalgo, has also cast doubt over the idea, saying the mayor's proposal would need to respect procedures protecting historic buildings.

But others felt regret at losing a visual reminder of an enchanted period in Paris and expressed support for the idea of replacements.

"They were a bit large so it's better to put small ones that can remain for a few years," said Gabriel, a French volunteer at the Games, who was at the foot of the tower on Friday. "It would be symbolic and a great souvenir."