AC Milan Wear Third Shirt at Home vs Monza

Another case of marketing before tradition occurred over the weekend as AC Milan wore their olive green third shirt in their home game against Monza.

Milan wear third shirt at home

On Sunday, AC Milan recorded an emphatic 4-1 victory over Monza at the San Siro, where they should play in their famous Rossoneri shirts, by all logic and tradition. Instead, they wore their green third kit whole Monza played in their red home shirts.

The original reason for third shirts was to provide an alternative option when a club's home and away shirts both clashed with the kit of their opponents, although that reasoning has long since been replaced by corporate greed and the desire to sell as much merchandise as possible. At best, they create some room for experimentation and give fans the option of wearing something a bit different while supporting their team, but a club's historical colours should always be given priority when playing.

Logic would dictate that for this game, as the home team, Milan should have worn their home colours. As Monza were the away team and home kit is red, they should have worn their white away kit, or at a push, their pale blue third kit, avoiding any possibility of a clash. Instead, Milan gave their third shirt an unnecessary outing in the hope of boosting sales. This is becoming an increasingly common tactic by clubs, foregoing their heritage and identity in favour of using the pitch and the players as advertising space.

What do you think of clubs not wearing their home kits for games on their own turf? Let us know in the comments.