Berlusconi's Flying Circus

Berlusconi and Covid-19

2020-09-05T16:34:00.003+01:00

Thursday, 3 September 2020. 83-year old - almost 84, actually - former PM Silvio Berlusconi is admitted to Milan’s hospital having tested positive to Covid-19 and apparently suffering from double pneumonia. He had been hanging about with friends (who also tested positive to the virus) without wearing a mask.

Silvio Berlusconi, whose 84th birthday is now three weeks away, was tested positive for Covid-19 last Wednesday, after holidaying in Sardinia. Due to his age, last Thursday he was admitted to Milan’s San Raffaele hospital, where a virus-related ‘mild’ lung infection has been diagnosed (earlier Berlusconi’s doctor, Dr Zangrillo, stated that an asymptomatic Berlusconi was quietly isolating in his home in Arcore). According to Berlusconi’s fellow politicians, it’s only “a small precautionary hospitalisation”, rumours about Berlusconi having been checked into intensive care have been denied.

Flavio Briatore (70) and Silvio Berlusconi (83) met in Sardinia in August 2020 (YouTube)

The swab was administered to the former Italian Prime Minister when he came back from Sardinia, where he met a good friend, Flavio Briatore, a former Formula 1 team manager and businessman who owns the Billionaire nightclub, and who has also been tested positive for the virus. The two, Berlusconi and Briatore, met in Sardinia in August, where photos were taken and neither was wearing a mask.

“It wasn’t me who infected Silvio”, declared Flavio Briatore. Some reckon the Billionaire might be a hotbed for Covid-19, while others think that Berlusconi’s Villa Certosa - where Briatore was hosted back in August - might be one.

In any case, in this chicken and egg situation Briatore tested positive, Berlusconi tested positive too, the virus also spreaded to Berlusconi’s new sweetheart Marta Fascina (a 30-year-old MP from Berlusconi’s Party Forza Italia, who replaced his former fiancée Francesca Pascale), and Berlusconi’s offsprings Luigi and Barbara have been infected as well. Mr Berlusconi received wishes for a speedy recovery from Italy’s prime minister Giuseppe Conte, former wife Veronica Lario, and - obviously - from this very blog!

Auguri di pronta guarigione, Silvio!

Berlusconi's naval accident in Saint-Tropez

2015-08-12T20:25:00.000+01:00

Thursday, 13 August 2015. The 78-year old former PM Silvio Berlusconi is victim of an accident while on holiday with his daughter Marina and his grandchildren in south France.

Silvio Berlusconi was trying to get back from terra firma to his yacht, when he – as a captain courageous - banged his head on the canopy of a boat, suffering a slight cut on the forehead and consequent dizziness.

Banga-banga ouch!

The former Italian PM is officially on holiday – with his daughter Marina (her birthday was celebrated last Monday), her husband Maurizio Vanadia and her two sons, Gabriele and Silvio – even though in the meantime he is trying to flog his beautiful villa in Sardinia to some members of the Saudi royal family.

It's been a tough year for Silvio Berlusconi, last time he was seen in public, at a dinner with Forza Italia's MPs, he did not seem in high spirits, as he threatened to leave Italy for Russia, but this time he might not be able to blame communists and judges for the little incident occurred in Saint-Tropez, on the French Riviera.

Hopefully (for him) he might soon be enjoying an extra revenue, from the sale of his villa, which value is set at an amount of €about 500m, or £360m (or $560 million). This might help him to forget the banga-banga in the south of France.

Berlusconi reveals that Putin has offered him the Russian citizenship and a post as Economy Minister

2015-07-23T17:51:00.002+01:00

Thursday, 23 July 2015. During a dinner with Forza Italia's MPs, Silvio Berlusconi reveals that his friend Vladimir Putin offered him the Russian citizenship and the post of head of the Economy Ministry.

The Italian newspaper La Stampa (“The Press”) has gathered information about something quite controversial that the disgraced former Italian PM Silvio Berlusconi apparently said yesterday evining, during a dinner at Ristorante Consolini in the district of Testaccio, in Rome.

Is Silvio Berlusconi saying farewell to Italy?

According to the report Berlusconi arrived at the premises just 5 minutes late, which is exceptionally early for his habits, with a gloomy face, and then sat at a table packed with women, among them the faithful and busty Mariarosaria Rossi, the blonde Micaela Biancofiore (yes, the one of the homophobic remark...), and the lovely Gabriella Giammanco.

Berlusconi, who is not in high spirits due to his judicial woes and the bad shape of his party Forza Italia, has been quoted saying “Think about it, in Italy I have been relegated to the fringes of society, while [Russia's President Vladimir] Putin told me he is ready to grant me the Russian citizenship and the lead of the Economy Ministry”.

The 78-year old Italian tycoon apparently has also added that that's what he could be doing soon, getting a Russian passport and leaving for good heading East. Berlusconi is a very good friend of Putin, and he has remained loyal to him even when Russian was kicked off the G8.

It's not the first time that Vladimir Putin offers the Russian citizenship to one of his friends. Two years ago, French actor Gérard Depardieu received a Russian passport (after criticising taxes on top earners that François Hollande intended to introduce in France), and now he is registered as resident of Saransk, in the Republic of Mordovia, Russia.

Pippo Inzaghi sacked from AC Milan, apart from flirting or not with Barbara Berlusconi

2015-06-27T19:38:00.001+01:00

Tuesday, 16 June 2015. AC Milan communicates that head coach Filippo “Pippo” Inzaghi has been sacked, without explaining whether flirting with Barbara Berlusconi – AC Milan's owner's daughter and member of board of directors – has been a reason why...

After just one year in charge, Filippo Inzaghi (aka Pippo) has been dismissed by Silvio Berlusconi-owned AC Milan (he was informed a week before the official statement from the club). The handsome-looking former striker of the club was thought to had have an affair with the young and provoking daughter of Silvio Berlusconi, Barbara, but rumours had been dismissed by all the parts (AC Milan included).

Filippo Inzaghi - aka Pippo - looking for a new job

Apart from the gossips regarding Inzaghi's love affairs, his record as a manager is rubbish, the Rossoneri – as AC Milan are frequently called – finished the 2014-2015 season in 10^th place on Serie A's table, one of the worst results ever. This result alone could justify the divorce from the club.

By the way the 2014-2015 season was the club first season when they did not participate on either UEFA Champions League or UEFA Europa League, as they failed to qualify during the previous campaign, finishing in 8^th place.

During that season the managers were Massimiliano Allegri (sacked during the season, after a heavy campaign against him by Barbara Berlusconi), the caretaker Mauro Tassotti (AC Milan's former defender) and the former AC Milan's midfielder Clarence Seedorf (a guy who apparently had an affair with Ronaldo's wife, when he played for Inter Milan).

Pippo Inzaghi and Barbara Berlusconi before the divorce of the manager from the club

Mr Inzaghi has been replaced by former Inter Milan's player (the side is AC Milan's greatest rival), the Serbian footballer Siniša Mihajlović, who was granted a two-year contract with the San Siro's team.

People in general and AC Milan's fans in particular wonder whether Mihajlović will also become a target of gossips linking to the young and restless member of the Berlusconi's family, the charming Barbara.

Barbara Berlusconi is flirting with AC Milan's coach Filippo “Pippo” Inzaghi, or not?

2014-11-27T16:27:00.000+00:00

Tuesday, 25 November 2014. AC Milan and its coach Filippo “Pippo” Inzaghi have realeased a note saying that no flirting occurred between Barbara Berlusconi – AC Milan's owner's daughter and member of board of directors – and the club's former star.

“Barbara Berlusconi and Filippo Inzaghi have instructed their lawyers to take legal action against all the media who report the news of an alleged relationship. The news is in fact false and totally invented.” says the note issued by the daughter of AC Milan's owner, and by the handsome new manager of the team.

Barbara Berlusconi with Filippo Inzaghi, widely known as Pippo

The official denial was provoked by a number of articles appeared on Italian gossip and sport media, suggesting that something happened between the 41-year-old manager and the 30-year-old executive of AC Milan. Executive, and daughter of AC Milan's owner Silvio Berlusconi, to be precise.

Actually the rumour started to spread in the run up to the derby between Inter Milan and AC Milan, as the city of Milan became the focus of the media spotlight (and after the end of the relationship between the ex-player and Alessia Ventura, a model, showgirl, actress, TV anchorwoman and dancer, according to Wikipedia).

So it isn't true that Barbara has a love affair with Pippo? Well, the strong and harsh dismissal of the rumours reminds us of what happened a few years ago, when a similar action followed the gossips about the love story between the blonde Berlusconi and Alexandre Pato, at that time a striker of the rossoneri, but in the end the affair became public. Only time will tell.

Barbara Berlusconi wearing an AC Milan T-shirt

P.S.: As per the Derby della Madonnina (as the Italians call the clash between AC Milan and Inter Milan), it turned out to be a pretty boring game, between two decadent ex-stars of the Serie A and the European football. 1-1 was the final result.

Berlusconi explains what have in common Beppe Grillo, Robespierre, Pol Pot, Hitler and Stalin

2014-05-06T12:28:00.001+01:00

Friday, 2 May 2014. Interviewed by Nicola Porro – unbiased journalist and employee of the Berlusconi's family (does this work?) – Silvio Berlusconi gives the Italian a history's lesson and an advice on whom they shouldn't vote for.

Par condicio (Latin for equal treatment)is a most fashionable word in Italy, when it comes to electoral campaigns, it stands for fairness doctrine (if you trust Wikipedia), id est (if it has to be Latin, so be it!) giving the same opportunities to politicians to get exposed by the media.

How can you vote for someone who is as bad as Robespierre and Marx were, asks Mr Berlusconi...

Nicola Porro is the anchorman hosting Virus, a talk show on Italy's national TV broadcaster Rai2, as well as the vice director of Berlusconis-owned Il Giornale newspaper, and he is very keen on giving the three leaders of the three major Italian parties the same chances to appear on his show.

How do you do that? Well, first you will explain that not allowing Mr Berlusconi to travel to the show on Fridays (the movements of the ex-prime minister are subject to limitations, due to his conviction for tax fraud) is really a bad thing the judges shouldn't have done, and second you give him an recorded interview him in his home, showing how nice is his dog and how cool is his dining room (not to mention how cool were the women who have been invited to “elegant dinners” there!).

Then you will go on asking him tough questions. The one I really liked was «How many people voted for you Mr President?». The reply is «more than 200 million», which is quite a number, compared to a population of 60 million (but you know, if you just multiply them...).

That's what Berlusconi is talking about!

Anyhow, what's the main point of the interview? Giving Berlusconi the possibility to say that Silvio Berlusconi said that M5S's leader and political adversary Beppe Grillo is a really bad person, everybody who knows him well is aware of it. Isn't that a proof?

“Bloodbath” is the only thing that Grillo can produce, says the par condicion-ed Berlusconi, adding that the (ex-)comedian is just like Hitler (apart from the beard, I reckon, sure also the former prime minister spotted that...), and his 5-star-movement is a kind of sect. Yes, just like Robespierre, some Christian medieval's movements, Marx, Lenin, Stalin, Pol Pot: you know the type, don't you? Comedians turned into politicians, tyrants and dictators, all the same (apart from Benito Mussolini, who was a good man and a terrific comedian)!

A more lucid analysis was made about Italians going to vote in the next European parliament elections, as Berlusconi explained that half of the Italians are delusional, embittered, disgusted (and will not go to the polls), the other half, the other 50%, is divided by 3 thirds: PD, PDL and Grillo (these are not only embittered and embittered, but furious and incensed). The remaining (if we followed carefully enough, it should be about 3.3333333%) are just pissed off, presumably.

Couldn't go on listening.

Berlusconi set to start community services with dementia and Alzheimer's disease patients

2014-04-30T18:31:00.000+01:00

Wednesday, 30 April 2014. Berlusconi is set to start community services on 9 May, with Alzheimer's disease and dementia patients at Catholic-run Insitute.

As a social carer (doing that job is the way chosen to make him pay his debt with society) Mr Berlusconi is going to do real work, not just sit behind a desk, according Paolo Pigni, head of the Catholic-run Fondazione Sacra Famiglia (Sacred Heart Foundation), in Cesano Boscone, near Milan.

According to Mr Berlusconi community service is “ridiculous, not only for me but for the whole country

The news was disclosed during a press conference where it was also said that the former Italian prime minister will work in the part of the centre where people with dementia and Alzheimer's disease are being taken care of.

Among things he can do and he cannot do during his serving, Silvio Berlusconi and his staff – “will not be able to work on electoral campaigns”, and he will walk in alone, leaving any escorts outside of the building (being those armed escorts for protection or any other kind of escorting services).

When a journalist asked whether the media tycoon will be allowed to tell the patients some of his famous jokes, and the answer was that if he wanted to lark around with dementia and Alzheimer's disease sufferers he might just try.

Italy's Berlusconi will find himself in “situations of suffering which can enrich him”, just like he “enriched himself” with tax fraud – gossip-mongers might add -, the very reason why he will be doing all this.

Previously the billionaire dubbed community service as “ridiculous, not only for me but for the whole country” (while demented people where not asked to comment about Berlusconi incoming visits), more or less what some Italian think about his personal life.

Let's give him some time and see what happens in a 10-days time.

Berlusconi: prostitution thrived at his homes, his private life is “bewildering”, according to judge

2014-04-29T20:29:00.000+01:00

Saturday, 28 April 2014. Publishing the motivations of a conviction related to the bunga-bunga parties, a Court in Bari defines Silvio Berlusconi's private life as “bewildering” and states that “beyond a formal appearance of elegant dinners” there was ”a thriving prostitution” orchestrated by Gianpaolo Tarantini for the benefit of the former Italian prime minister.

Gianpaolo Tarantini – a man linked to Mr Berlusconi's, for good and for bad – founded a real “recruitment agency” for women offering services consisting in “sexual performances”, according to the judge Ambrogio Marrone, linked to the so-called bunga-bunga parties held in the Arcore's villa of the Italian billionaire, or in his residence in Rome, Palazzo Grazioli.

Gianpaolo Tarantini (with his wife), the main supplier of women for Berlusconi

The payments for the above mentioned services were called alternatively “envelope”, “gift”, “cachet” or “token”, and were handed over to the girls directly by Silvio Berlusconi, usually on the day of the departure of the call girls, the day after the «sexual encounters, occurred the night before, with the women on duty».

All this happened when Silvio Berlusconi was the head of the Italian government, and he tried to disguised the “thriving prostitution” as “elegant dinners”.

Among other things, the judge also highlighted a «situation of commercialization of the female body and the consideration of women as mere objects likely to trade for sexual purposes.», eve though he identified ”two distinct categories” of women recruited and brought to the party of former prime minister, «the so-called “easy girls”, that is willing to grant sexual favours, and those that were used as frame for the event, the “image girls”».

Sabina Beganovic, inventor of the bunga-bunga nights

The under-age Karima El-Mahroug (aka Ruby the Heart Stealer) allegedly belonged to the fist category, and received quite a huge amount of many (which is now spending here and there...)

Another key person of the “bawdy nights” was the actress Sabina Beganovic (aka Began), alternatively dubbed “a Tarantini in a skirt” or “Tarantini's teacher”, who – by her admission – was somehow the origin of the “bunga-bunga” name, being that her nickname (a mean, one of the monikers, since she's also called the Queen Bee, for some reasons).

Looks like the sex scandals are going to haunt Mr Berlusconi for a long time.

Berlusconi: attacking the Germans to stand as the saviour of his country seems to be the only tactic to convince Italians to vote for Forza Italia

2014-04-28T11:27:00.003+01:00

Saturday, 26 April 2014. While presenting his ailing centre-right Forza Italia party's candidates for the European Parliament elections, Mr Berlusconi seizes the opportunity to show off his abilities to attacks the Germans (in order to hide his weaknesses).

Following his usual MO, Italy's Berlusconi waited the right moment, when the media was listening, to put forward the couple of arguments he managed to pull together for the European elections campaign: accusing – right out of the blue – the Germans to deny the death camps, and recalling an old act of his, when he attacked German MEP Martin Schulz, now a candidate in the incoming elections.

Everybody's enjoying Silvio Berlusconi's wisecracks, at Forza Italia press conference
(from ANSA video)

Mentioning the 2003 incident, Mr Berlusconi said he didn't want to offend Schulz (which is evidently untrue), and then added that “according to the Germans, concentration camps never existed.” (which is evidently a lie), in an attempt to please the protest voters, which are expected to show up at European elections, but are unlikely to vote for the re-founded Forza Italia's party (and who are likely to cast they vote in favour of former comedian Beppe Grillo and his Five-Star Movement).

Actually there's not much else Berlusconi can do, as he and his party Forza Italia are slowly slipping out of the mind of Italians.

Recent polls showed that his political side is heading towards a 15% of the vote for the incoming European Parliament elections, as long-time employee Bonaiuti's desertion for the New Centre-Right is just the umpteenth example of supporters fleeing the sinking boat. Riding anti-Europeanism is the only way Berlusconi thinks he can compete.

By the way, Forza Italia's logo has the Berlusconi's name on it, and Silvio can't run for public offices, whose name is it? Which of the Berlusconis will run as a candidate?

Germans already love Silvio, no need to insist in making himself (further) unpleasant

Anyhow, it's not the first time that the media tycoon turned into politician uses discrimination and/or controversy to let people talk about him and appease right's extremists: he said that Obamas were tanned, that loving beautiful young women and under-age girls was still better than being gay, that Italian dictator Benito Mussolini was a nice guy, after all.

Most probably in the incoming weeks we are going to see more of the friend-of-the-extremists Berlusconi, Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy and Los Angeles Clippers' owner Donald Sterling are the new models of the former prime minister, just to try and state that he isn't just an old sod working as a social carer.

Berlusconi: here's what he can do and what he can't do during his term as a social worker

2014-04-25T18:28:00.000+01:00

Wednesday, 23 April 2014. As Mr Berlusconi signs Milan's Surveillance Court prescriptions' document regarding his term as a social worker, becomes clear to him what he is allowed to do and what he isn't.

Silvio Berlusconi will serve his sentence for tax fraud by helping in at Sacra Famiglia (Sacred Family) elderly people’s home in Cesano Boscone (east of Milan, about 25 miles away from his villa in Arcore), where he signed a documents detailing the term.

You choose the sentence for Silvio Berlusconi, a game by to The Guardian

There are 12 prescriptions in the document, and the former prime minister of Italy can't really complain, as the house arrest – which was one of the options on the table – would have involve more constrictions than his job as a social worker, 4 hours a week.

Here are the things the politician cannot do:

He must refrain from frequenting person with a criminal record, like Alessandro Sallusti, the director of Il Giornale, a newspaper owned by the Berlusconi Family, who wrote an article labelling as “state bandits” the judges that convicted Berlusconi;
He must avoid nocturnal outings (bunga-bunga parties included, unless the gatherings are held at his home);
He must not defame single judges (apparently he can keep on defaming the Judiciary of Italy as a whole, like saying they are worse than the Sicilian Mafia);

The Sureveillance Court 's press release

He cannot leave Lombardy (apart from trips to Rome), and he can definitely forget about going abroad.

Thinks Berlusconi can do:

He can travel to Rome, from Mondays to Thursdays, but can't come home late, he must be back by 11pm (and can't leave before 6am);
He might deliver public speeches (in Lombardy or in Rome, of course);
He can appear on TV (but not together with person holding a criminal record, which might be tricky enough);
He (allegedly) can keep on defaming Italian Judiciary, but up to a certain extent (and mustn't get to personal).

In the meanwhile – Berlusconi is positive about this – everybody will cotton on that it's all about a terrible misunderstanding, and things will get back to the good old days.

Berlusconi: even the loyal spokesman Paolo Bonaiuti leaves your sinking Forza Italia for the New Centre-Right?

2014-04-22T17:14:00.000+01:00

Sunday, 14 April 2014. As Forza Italia (Go Italy) appears to be losing more and more voters, Paolo Bonaiuti decides to leave the party to follow Berlusconi's former dauphin Angelino Alfano into the Nuovo Centrodestra (New Centre-Right).

“It was a difficult and painful decision,” said the 74-year-old Paolo Bonaiuti, announcing his divorce from Berlusconi's Forza Italia (Go Italy) 2.0, the party re-founded by Berlusconi, when he decided to ditch the PDL (People of Freedom Party), in a virtual night of the long knives to get rid of some of his opponents.

Sometimes it was painful for Mr Bonaiuti (centre) to be on Berlusconi's side.

It's “a decision I have delayed for a long time, but fully motivated by political differences and personal incomprehension that have deepened in the past year.” said Bonaiuti, who has been Berlusconi's public face for a long long time.

The first impact between the two was a tough one, on 7 January 7, 1994, Bonaiuti wrote a tough editorial against Silvio Berlusconi, accusing the entrepreneur of having “hunted” Indro Montanelli out of his own newspaper, Il Giornale.

But two years later (in 1996), the former journalist embraced the Knight's (now ex-Knight) cause and adhered to Forza Italy, to start a close association that lasted for 18 years, until he realized the “personal incomprehensions” (it took a while, yes, we realized that).

Beside the farewell of Bonaiuti, the European elections forecast depicts a pretty gloom situation for Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia, with a 17.2% of the casts showed by a survey prepared on the 11 April (a terrible plunge as on 21 March, only three weeks before, Forza Italia was considered to be able to collect the 21.2% of the preferences). Apropos: now that Silvio Berlusconi is out of play, who will justify his name on the logo for the campaign?

Bonaiuti telling it to Berlusconi
(photograph: Merlini-LaPresse)

Is this the end of Silvio Berlusconi (as we know him)? Difficult to say, but as the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in Strasbourg rejected the former Italian prime minister's appeal, he definitely won't be able to run in the elections and he is destined instead to help the elderly as part of his punishment for a tax fraud conviction.

According to the Italian Magazine L'Espresso the breakaway of Bonaiuti is just a sign of the a troubled party that is going to disintegrate under the pressure of internal fights and lack of heir to the disgraced Silvio Berlusconi. Furthermore, the Italian Democratic Party (PD) led by Matteo Renzi became a more appealing alternative to delusional berlusconians.

A stampede might me in the offing.

Berlusconi: it's me who sent Dell'Utri to Lebanon, to help Amine Gemayel, because Vladimir Putin asked me to do so.

2014-04-14T13:52:00.000+01:00

Sunday, 13 April 2014. The mystery around the disappearance of Berlusconi's aide Marcello Dell'Utri gets more and more mysterious, as the fugitive is backed up by the former prime minister (who - in turn - says the idea was Vladimir Putin's...).

The first news to hit the headlines was that in the run up to a definitive sentence regarding the accusations of links to the Sicilian Mafia, prosecutors weren't able to locate Berlusconi's long-time friend and aide Mr Dell'Utri, and therefore he was declared “fugitive” by the Italian magistrates.

Marcello Dell'Utri and Berlusconi:

Then Dell'Utri's mobile phone was traced in Beirut, even though his lawyers issued a statement (last Friday) saying that he never went to Lebanon, he was in France, and he never meant to escape, he was just being cured (underwent a angioplasty surgery).

Finally it did turn out that the former Sicilian senator (I mean he was a senator, but he still is a Sicilian) was indeed in Beirut, as the local authorities arrested him in a 5-star luxury hotel in Lebanon's capital, the InterContinental Phoenicia. He was in bed and had a large sum of money.

The news was given by the another Sicilian Angelino Alfano, Italian Minister of the Interior, former ally of Berlusconi and sworn enemy of the above mentioned Marcello Dell'Utri (see our article on their fight).

Finally Berlusconi spoke, apparently to a few members of his party Forza Italia, and said «Marcello [Dell’Ultri] is in Lebanon and it was me who sent him there,» adding that the reason for sending man indicted of being connected to the Mafia was because «[Russian President] Vladimir Putin has asked me to back the campaign of Amine Gemayel.», of the Kataeb Party.

Summarizing: Putin wants Amine Gemayel to win the elections in Lebanon, for some reasons, and the most brilliant idea he has to reach the goal is to give a phone call to his good friend Berlusconi, who sends there a 72-year old chap (who is allegedly in touch with the Sicilian Mafia) to get the job done.

How about that for an international intrigue?

Berlusconi: awaiting the ruling over his sentence, he has been visiting social workers and hospitals

2014-04-08T11:10:00.000+01:00

Monday, 7 April 2014. In the run-up to Thursday's discussion over his sentence, Berlusconi visits a social worker and a hospital, just in case.

As Silvio Berlusconi already did in the past (do you remember the uveitis case, almost exactly one year ago?), before any ruling against him, he boast of some minor injuries or diseases, and spends sometime in a hospital.

Berlusconi knows a thing or two, about avoiding trials...

This is just in case he is in the mood to appeal to a “legitimate impediment” and avoid the trial (and killing four birds with one stone: skipping the humiliation, holding up the proceedings, one of his specialities, raising commiseration and gaining visibility, as the Italian media will talk about it).

In this specific case Mr Berlusconi awaits the decision of Milan's Surveillance court (in “Italian Tribunale di Sorveglianza”), a panel of two Milan judges and two law professors which will determine how he should spend the sentence he obtained for a tax fraud conviction: house arrest or public services.

Initially he was given a four-year sentence, but that was commuted into 12 month only.

So the former prime minister of Italy called on his personal physician, Dr Alberto Zangrillo, with a swollen knee, and spent the night of the 4 April at the San Raffaele hospital.

Apart from the medical cures, Silvio Berlusconi also had to meet up with a social worker, in order to determine whether he can be reinserted into civil life after serving his time for tax fraud, in the latest ignominy for the billionaire, who – following the so-far only definitive sentence - was booted from the Senate, he is not allowed to leave the country, had to strip himself of his knighthood, and so on.

Berlusconi is portrayed by good friend and full time pensioner George W Bush

2014-04-06T12:14:00.001+01:00

Friday, 4 April 2014. 67-year-old George W Bush portrays world leaders – among them 77-year-old Berlusconi – showing how retirement can be a nice period of our lives.

As a world leader George W Bush has collected a few critics (even though he won Mr Berlusconi's long-lasting friendship), here and there, but you have to admit that as a amateur painter he has a knack, as he unveiled an exhibitions of his works, dubbed “The Art of Leadership: A President’s Personal Diplomacy”.

Silvio Berlusconi, as seen by good pal George W Bush

There are 24 characters portrayed by the former president of the USA, like his very father George H W Bush, Russia's president Vladimir Putin, former UK's prime minister Tony Blair, the Dalai Lama and – of course - the disgraced ex-prime minister of Italy Silvio Berlusconi (currently out of work as a politician, due to his judicial woes).

Some of the models might disclose their toughness, through their portraits, some others might be admired for their wisdom, and also Silvio Berlusconi was offering one of his best sardonic grins, in the painting sketched by the man who invaded Iraq a few years ago.

Bush and Berlusconi met in September 2002, in the run up to the 2^nd Iraqi war, in Camp David, where their camaraderie cemented, and the Italian media tycoon visited Dallas in April 2013, on the occasion of the George W Bush Presidential Center dedication ceremony (I know, he fell asleep, but he showed affection, nevertheless).

“I chose leaders who I admired over the years of my presidency trying to capture the spirit,” declare a justly proud G W Bush to the NBC reporter who interviewed him was none other than his daughter Jenna Bush Hager.

In the wake of the event, in Italy some observers commented that also Mr Berlusconi could give painting a try (or pétanque, for that matters), and stop meddling into Italian politics for good, but we ain't so sure eh would pay heed to that advice.

P.S.: Talking about the Dalai Lama, if you're interested in his views about Berlusconi, take a look at this short video on our YouTube Channel: click here).

Berlusconi and the mystery of the European election's logo

2014-04-03T20:44:00.000+01:00

Wednesday, 2 April 2014. The Forza Italia logo for the European elections shows the name “Berlusconi”, but if Silvio can't run as a candidate, who is going to be that?

Silvio Berlusconi can't run as a candidate for public office due to his interdiction to public posts, Italian highest court had made it clear last month, when the former prime minister's lawyer appealed against the ruling, which followed the definitive conviction of the media tycoon for tax fraud.

Forza Italia's logo and slogan: “"More Italy in Europe, less Europe in Italy”

But, then, who is going to put a face to the Berlusconi name written in big blue letters over the Forza Italia (Go Italy) party's logo for the election, just below the tricolour banner and between a menace printed on the left (“Piu' Italia in Europa”, “More Italy in Europe”), and a wrote bad omen on the right (“Meno Europa in Italia”, “Less Europe in Italy”)?

It is quite a mystery, Silvio Berlusconi's daughter Marina – who was rumoured to be destined to become his political heir - denied several times any interest in politics. Barbara Berlusconi, the younger daughter of Mr Berlusconi, refused to answer when questioned, but her father recently stated that none of his children was going to seek a seat in the European Parliament in the polls next May (ruling out also Pier Silvio).

So, what is going to be? Perhaps now that he has divorced officially from his second wife Veronica Lario, the media mogul will marry his girlfriend Francesca Pascale, give her his name, and launch the former local TV dancer a new career in Brussels and Strasbourg (provided that the good ol' Forza Italia can put together enough votes)?

Or will his brother Paolo Berlusconi get into politics, even though he seems to be more fit for stand up shows, and follow the path of his elder sibling?

After the sad death of Silvio's beloved sister Maria Francesca Antonietta Berlusconi in 2009, only two brothers remained. Or is there another Berlusconi out there we don't know about?

Berlusconi: is Ruby the Heart Stealer using your money in Mexico and Dubai?

2014-04-02T15:10:00.001+01:00

Friday, 28 March 2014. According to the Italian newspaper La Repubblica Berlusconi's favourite night dancer Karima El Mahroug (aka Ruby the Heart Stealer) has started a new life, taking expensive holidays, developing a luxury resort in Mexico and investing in property in the Middle East. Where did she get the money from?

Karima El Mahroug – aka Ruby the Heart Stealer – is a young former erotic dancer (she is now 21) who took part in the bunga-bunga parties in Berlusconi's villa in Arcore and who is believed to have had sex with the owner of the manor in 2010 when she was still under-age (and Mr Berlusconi was sentenced to a 7-year term in jail for having slept with her and for having used his power as Italy's prime minister to try and hide the story).

Ruby the Heart Stealer (real name Karima El-Mahroug) having pretty good time in Mexico (Playa del Carmen's beach)

Now, in 2010 the prosecutors in charge with the sex scandal trial (the result of the so-called Rubygate investigation) intercepted a phone conversation when Ruby – talking to a friend – said that she had received €5 million from the billionaire (which is roughly £4.1m or $6.9).

Later on the Moroccan erotic dancer (and call-girl, if you listen to Milan's judges), said that all that stuff (and other stuff she had been telling the judges) was just a made-up show off and she had been “talking crap”, and so on.

But now new facts have come to light, via the La Repubblica newspaper, a fierce adversary of Mr Berlusconi.

According to the news published, Ms El Mahroug travelled to Dubai (possibly in December 2013) and opened a bank account, depositing €2 million at the National Bank of Abu Dhabi and expressing an interest in buying a number of apartments in the country, according to the newspaper.

Furthermore she is currently developing a luxury resort in Mexico called Casa Sofia (Sofia is Ruby's daughter's name), and she had also been posting on Facebook photos in bikini, sunbathing on a beach at Playa del Carmen in Mexico (the latter is not an offence, but still shows what kind of a girl she is, according to the Italian journalists...).

Ruby likes to have fun. Here she is in Vienna, at the Opera Ball in 2011, when she was 18.

For your information in 2012 Ruby failed to attend to a trial (she was a key witness, of course), because she was in Mexico and forgot to come back in time.

Some (malicious) observers think that Berlusconi provided the woman with (a lot of) money in order to keep her away from the court (by the way the politician has been investigated for bribing quite a few of the witnesses at the trial over the sex scandal).

Anyhow, the guys at La Repubblica are of course suggesting that yes, Berlusconi gave her a lot more than the 56,000 euro he admitted (along with the sums he paid to other women of the bunga-bunga army), otherwise where does this dough come from? Good question, isn't it?

Berlusconi: riding cats and dogs to gain support

2014-03-31T12:09:00.003+01:00

Sunday, 30 March 2014. In a desperate attempt to gain support in the run-up to May European Elections, Silvio Berlusconi has become a strenuous campaigner for animal adoption.

The Mr Berlusconi is looking for a tiger to ride, in order to gain some support at least within his ageing target group, the young pensioners, and show that ditching the People of Liberty movement (Popolo della Libertà) and re-founding his old party “Forza Italia” (Go Italy o Forward Italy, according to the interpretations) was, all in all, a pretty good idea.

“This dog is my happiness” says a visibly satisfied Berlusconi on the Facebook page of Dudù,
Francesca Pascale's pet (photograph: Forza Dudù)

So far the disgraced politician (who was sentenced for tax fraud, booted from parliament, banned from travelling abroad, and his woes related to the bunga-bunga parties sex scandal are far from over) has been clutching at straws, lacking a proper wild beast, he is now experimenting with cats and dogs, playing the role of the wise and nice elderly man (his look had already been changed accordingly). Beggers can't be choosers

What's the plan? The former prime minister of Italy reportedly intervened with a phone call to one of his fan clubs, the Rome-based Forza Silvio (Italian for Go on Silvio) “We must strive to find a father or a mother for thousands of abandoned pets. Dogs and cats are going to help us to win the European elections,”: evidently he decided that if he cannot be the saviour of the country, he can still play the role of the saviour of its beloved little beasts.

There are “over 10 million Italians who have a dog or cat” allegedly said Berlusconi, adding that and they “will be able to look on us with fondness and help the moderates become a strong political force, a majority”.

The strategy started a few months ago, when the bridgehead of the ride of the pets was laid down, by creating a powerful Facebook page dubbed “Forza Dudù”, being “forza” the catchword of the so-called Berluscones (slang for supporters of the media tycoon) and Dudù the white poodle of Francesca Pascale (the 29-year-old female and blonde partner of SB) mimicking the “Forza Silvio” and “Forza Italia” slogans. Unfortunately the brilliantly made page – where the milky canine talks to fans by the use of clever and witty bubbles – only managed to collect less than 6,000 likes.

Rumours spread that Berlusconi might also ponder taking part in a remake of One Hundred and One Dalmatians (which could be renamed One Hundred and One Poodles), taking on the role of an elder Roger Radcliffe, as an extreme measure.

Berlusconi: AC Milan makes me lose 50 million a year

2014-03-26T19:57:00.000+00:00

Wednesday, 25 March 2014. During a meeting with MPs from the Italian region of the Marches, Silvio Berlusconi stated that maintaining the football team has a cost of 50m euro a year (£42m or $69m), which is a bit annoying, given the results.

During a gathering at Villa Grazioli, his residence in Rome, Silvio Berlusconi couldn't help talking about the AC Milan, at least with the supporters of the rossoneri among a selection of members of parliament representing his party Forza Italia.

When AC Milan was successful: Berlusconi with coach Ancelotti and captain Maldini
Photograph: New Press/Getty

Apparently one of the milanisti said “Mr President, you should do something, I am so sorrow that such an important team is in such a situation” hinting at the fact that the club is virtually out of all competitions and AC Milan seem to be free-falling.

The media mogul – who have several times pledged to spend more time with the team – allegedly replied “You are sorrow? What about me, that I lose 50 million a year!”, showing how cross is Berlusconi with the situation of losing huge amounts of money for the football club.

Beside the loss, the team is giving SB only headaches, in the form of terrible performances and infighting between his daughter Barbara Berlusconi and his (former?) friend Adriano Galliani.

“They destroyed my Milan”,

said ex-captain Paolo Maldini

The sacking of former head coach Massimiliano Allegri and the signing of ex-player and manager Clarence Seedorf didn't do any good, so far.

Having heard that, the Italian media started to speculate over the possibility that Mr Berlusconi might think that enough is enough, and might try and sell AC Milan to the best bidder, before .

For sure we are going to hear about those speculations in the incoming weeks.

In any case AC Milan plays ACF Fiorentina tonight, the team should better try and bring home a positive result, for a change, if they want to remain in the hands of Silvio Berlusconi.

Good luck, AC Milan!

Berlusconi: Putin is a good boy and it is reckless to ban Russian from the G8

2014-03-26T15:47:00.001+00:00

Wednesday, 25 March 2014. During a quick interview, Silvio Berlusconi affirms that the decision to suspend Russia from the G8 is “reckless, antihistorical and counterproductive”.

Silvio Berlusconi and Vladimir Putin are good pals, and apparently invading a NATO nation is not a misconduct serious enough, in the eyes of the Italian disgraced politician, to condemn the Russian president, so he keeps on defending him even after the annexation of Crimea and the seizing of Ukraine military bases.

The playful Berlusconi and Putin in Sardinia in 2003

The decision to suspend Russia from the G8 taken during the meeting in The Hague is a “reckless” and “antihistorical” decision, far from the “constructive spirit” that characterised the “long and weighty diplomatic work” the former Italian prime minister went through in order to endorse Putin. Furthermore that will cause the downsizing of the forum to 7 members (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom) and – therefore – the remaking of all the logos and merchandising.

Berlusconi doesn't seem to take into consideration the possibility that he had been picking the wrong people to endorse (as he didn't do it even after the defection of another of his great friends, Libya's Colonel Muammar Gaddafi).

The friendship between the 77-year-old media mogul turned into politician and the former KBG boss has been on for a while.

The Italian invited Putin to his private villa in Sardinia in 2008, where he famously (and joyfully) pretended to shoot at a Russian journalists when she asked the Russian leader about his alleged affair with Alina Kabaeva, a young (and attractive) rhythmic gymnast and politician (BTW the story proved to be true recently), and he also called Vladimir a “Godsend for Russians” (it is among the quotes we've been collecting). Putin also visited Berlusconi in December 2013, in his current home in Arese.

In turn the Russian leader has long defended Berlusconi and his bunga-bunga parties, dismissing concerns over the former prime minister's sex scandals by saying: “They criticise him mainly because they are jealous.” and then “if Berlusconi was gay, no one would lift a finger against him.”.

That's what I call being buddies!

Berlusconi states that none of his children will seek seats during the European elections

2014-03-23T22:19:00.001+00:00

Saturday, 22 March 2014. During a Forza Silvio Club gathering in Rome, Silvio Berlusconi makes clear that none of his children intends to run as a candidate in the imminent European election.

Berlusconi trying to foresee the future (ANSA)

As Silvio Berlusconi was denied by Italy's highest court to ran for the EU elections, rumours spread that some of his sons and daughters would replace him, in order to boast of an elected “Berlusconi", but the former prime minister of Italy said that the reports spread buy the Italian media were “all inventions”.

Berlusconi’s eldest daughter and Mediaset executive, Marina Berlusconi, has been frequently highlighted as a possible heirs to her father, since his father's judicial woes started, but she has always denied having any intention to “run on to the pitch” (a phrase Silvio used when he decided to start a political career back in 1994).

Pier Silvio and Barbara Berlusconi were the second and third choice of the Italian newspapers. Eleonora kept the name of her mother, Veronica Lario, which is Bartolini (I mean, Lario is a made up name...), so she would be out of play.

Apart from the news about his progeny's appetite for politics, the three-time former premier (and now former knight, or ex-knight, as he suspended himself from the honour, just after the ruling of the high court) talked about the EU elections.

Berlusconi with his children,
none of them seems to be attracted by politics, so far

He let know that his party – the newly formed Forza Italia – aims to convince former comedian Beppe Grillo movement's electors who are “disappointed and disgusted by the persons that are in the [Italian] parliament)” to switch side, since one-third of the votes will go to his party, one-third to Grillo's M5S (Five Star Movement) and one-third to Matteo Renzi's Democratic Party (PD), which members are militant, and therefore out of reach.

After the speech, and after having told the usual joke, Mr Berlusconi went back to his home in Arese, “heavily hurt by an unjust sentence, comforted by a selection of few friends”, as the former minister Claudio Scajola put it.

Berlusconi: the ex-prime minister becomes an ex-knight

2014-03-20T10:47:00.000+00:00

Wednesday, 19 March 2014. In order to avoid being publicly stripped of his knighthood, Silvio Berlusconi renounces the title, giving up one of his dearest nicknames as well as a highly regarded honour.

Anticipating the moves of the Italian Federation of Knights of Labour – they'll hold a meeting in a few days – Silvio Berlusconi has decided to stripped himself of the title of Knight of Labour, before being humiliated by a public and humiliating expulsion (he has already been expelled from the Italian Senate, and that was enough).

An old picture, taken when Silvio Berlusconi was still a Knight (source: Nonciclopedia)

The Order of Labour's ruled read state that knights must show “exemplary civil and social behaviour” and some people might have observed that a guy who is convicted for tax fraud, banned from running as a candidate for public office or travelling abroad, accused of paying for sex with an under-age prostitute (and abusing of his power in order to cover up his deeds), indicted of having bribed the witnesses of the proceedings trying to prove the latter, indicted of having bribed a bunch of Senators (the Senate of Italy is a civil plaintiff in the trial) and a few other felonies, malpractices, blunders and malpractices, might not be able to exhibit such a disposition.

Actually he also divorced twice (the last time one month ago), Italian Christians should regret that too, and apparently faked a doggy style with a parking warden in Bussels (see video), though the authenticity of the shooting has never been proved.

And apart from what he has done, he has been frequenting the wrong companies, surrounding himself with pimps and women of (sometimes) easy virtue (and having invited them into his very home in Arese, to organise the so-called bunga-bunga parties), drug dealers (it's in the news, one of his former aides was caught with loads of cocaine strolling around an airport...), wheeler-dealers, traffickers and other shady characters.

Silvio Berlusconi became a knight – and subsequently got his nickname of Il Cavaliere (The Knight) – in 1977, the appointment was granted by Giovanni Leone, then president of Italy, one of the few Italian politicians forced due to involvement in a corruption case (namely the Lockheed bribery scandal). What a coincidence!

Mr Berlusconi's decision of resigning from his knighthood came just after an umpteenth attempt to appeal against one of the ruling against him (interdiction of running for public office) was rejected by a high court.

Some might think it's time for Silvio Berlusconi to dedicate more of his time to the family and the ailing AC Milan, and get out of Italians way for good. He might not have the same opinion. We shall see.

Note: Pictures and photos might contain additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used to create or digitize it. If the file has been modified, some details may not fully reflect the reality.

Berlusconi: High court explains to former prime minister how the ban from public office works

2014-03-19T16:34:00.005+00:00

Tuesday, 18 March 2014. Italian High Court explains to former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi how the ban from public office works, and that he cannot run as a candidate for the European Parliament.

“Yes, you're banned from public office for two year, and no, you cannot run for European Parliament” told the High Court to Silvio Berlusconi, who tried to convince them that he had a case for his appeal (appealing also to the European Court of Human Rights).

The only way for Mr Berlusconi to get back to politics might be an appointment from his friend Putin?

While he was at it, he appealed also against his expulsion from the Senate, another measure – like the interdiction from taking part in elections as a candidate – taken after Mr Berlusconi was found guilty of tax fraud.

He is the victim of politically motivated prosecutors and judges, he said, who are envious of his success as a politician, an entrepreneur and a tombeur de femmes.

Berlusconi's lawyer - and Berlusconi himself - were “extremely disappointed” by the ruling (but it's not the first time that the Italian judiciary let them down, and possibly not the last one).

The only political side free from envy and jealousy is his own party, Forza Italia (Go Italy), born again (it was Berlusconi's first political entity, formed in 1994) after the previous covetousness-free movement – People of Freedom – was dismantled.

The special relationship between Putin and Berlusconi could be th jey for the Italian return to politics?

By the way, apart from the tax fraud case, SB's life is a bit unsettled nowadays, as he is battling against a seven-year jail sentence issued by a Milan court last year (it's about paying for sex with an under-aged prostitute and abusing his office to cover it up) and struggling to get his football team AC Milan going, which have been performing badly in all competitions and now see all possible trophies out of reach.

If we may suggest, if Berlusconi is really craving for a position in politics, he might ask his good friend Vladimir Putin for a post somewhere, like Governor of Crimea or Ambassador to Ukraine, it might fit the Italian billionaire (among other things Ukraine is packed with blonde women and girls, and we know how Silvio adores women!).

Berlusconi: is AC Milan club falling apart?

2014-03-18T10:16:00.002+00:00

Monday, 17 March 2014. After a resounding 2-4 defeat at home against the humble Parma, AC Milan show all their weaknesses as the president Silvio Berlusconi point the finger against his long-time friend Galliani, ex-iconic player Carlo Maldini slams the team's management and Mario Balotelli (apparently) bangs Internazionale's player's grilfriend.

Parma FC players – among them AC Milan's reject Antonio Cassano – would have never dreamed of beating the rossoneri in San Siro, a few months ago, but now, as everybody seem to be able to beat Berlusconi's team (not only Atletico Madrid), things are different and the 2-4 win doesn't sound so uncanny. But still, AC Milan's fans did not take it well, and started to stage a protest.

Silvio Berlusconi and AC Milan's trophies
on an old photo from the times when the club was a successful team.

“[New coach] Seedor is not the problem” declared Silvio Berlusconi – who handpicked the Dutch after sacking Massimiliano Allegri - in a quick interview, “there are no discussions, he will be here next year as well”. Berlusconi's stubbornness is pretty well known in Italy, the supporter might be tempted to wait and see, instead of tackling head on the Cavaliere.

What is the problem? AC Milan's is a “badly built team” says Mr Berlusconi, accusing Adriano Galliani to have squandered his money to buy players not good enough.

By doing this, former prime minister of Italy is backing his daughter Barbara Berlusconi reiterated attacks toward Adriano Galliani, the long-time friend and business partner who is now likely to be ousted for good at the end of the season.

A struggle that has been going on for a while.

Barbara Berlusconi: drinking to Galliani's departure?

Another voice has joined the discussion, former AC Milan's iconic captain (he played 647 games with the club) Paolo Maldini – who left the team in sorrow a few years ago – slamming Galliani, and maybe hoping to get a job there (he met already Barbara Berlusconi twice, but negotiations seem to have somehow stuck. “Galliani thinks he's almighty,” said Maldini in an interview “they don't have a project, and the structure is weak”.

In the meanwhile Italian [TV programme] Big Brother's contestant Veronica Graf (the girlfriend Internazionale Milan's player Tider) revealed that she took part in a foursome with stricker Mario Balotelli, possibly the most disappointing purchase of the Galliani's management (he came in 2013 from Manchester City), his brother Enoch, and a (girl)friend of her.

[Update: Internazionale FC has released a note denying that their player Saphir Taider “has ever had any relationship with the Graf girl”.

Looks like AC Milan is going to the dogs (and possibly some bitches).

)

Berlusconi: former (blonde) entourage member is arrested for possession of 24 kg of cocaine

2014-03-13T18:12:00.002+00:00

Thursday, 13 March 2014. A blonde that escorted Silvio Berlusconi on a trip to the G8 summit in Toronto has been seized at Rome's airport with 24 kg of cocaine.

Nobody is really surprised to see Mr Berlusconi hanging around with young blonde (or dark-haired, for that matters) women, now that you know him, but back in 2010 people were a bit puzzled to see a mysterious girl popping out of the prime minister's state aeroplane in Toronto, where he flew to take part in the G8 summit.

Federica Gagliardi, aka the White Lady, when she travelled with the prime minister
of Italy - Silvio Berlusconi - to Toronto's G8 Summit (2010)

At that time the good looking female's identity was kept secret – for a while – and she was then dubbed the “white lady” by the creative Italians, since she appeared in a completely milky dress, particularly visible as compared to Silvio Berlusconi's dark blue suit or the brilliant red of the Royal Canadian guards' jackets.

Well, it now turns out that the attractive young woman (she is around 34, we assume) sometime travels carrying around drugs, a lot of drugs for that matters.

She has been arrested by the Guardia di Finanza (a kind of economy and finance law enforcement agency), for transporting 24kg of cocaine (which is a lot, talking about narcotics...), at Fiumicino's Leonardo da Vinci airport, put in her luggage (which is a pretty silly thing to do).

Now, if you ask Silvio he will come out with a long and interesting story, explaining why the blonde Federica was on his presidential plane when he travelled to Hunstville (Canada), but the thing is that he has made a very bad habit out of frequenting people that gets into trouble.

Mr Berlusconi has always had a knack for bad friends

We are talking about Karima El Mahroug (aka Ruby the Heartstealer), who was arrested for theft and that started the whole Rubygate sex scandal, about Valter Lavitola, arrested for blackmailing, Lele Mora, in trouble due to drug-related offences and bankruptcy, and so on (not to mention .

Now that Berlusconi disbanded the People of Liberty people to recreate Forza Italia, he might try and disband a few old friends and walk the line, finally.

)

Barbara Berlusconi presence at Vicente Calderón's stadium cannot avoid AC Milan's defeat to Atletico Madrid

2014-03-12T11:30:00.002+00:00

Tuesday, 11 March 2014. As her father is not allowed to travel abroad, Barbara Berlusconi joined the AC Milan team in Madrid, only to see them heavily defeated by Atletico (4-1).

As you might already know, Silvio Berlusconi's passport has been confiscated by the Italian authorities (as he was convicted for tax fraud, in August last year), so he cannot follow his team – AC Milan – when the football team's away games are to be played outside the borders of Italy (as well as he cannot join his fellow European Popular Party's members on their gatherings around Europe).

Barbara Berlusconi tends to get excited by football matches

So as her father was not able to travel to Spain, Barbara Berlusconi was in charge and represented the family (apropos, did you know that her parents finally divorced, last month?) and management of the uber-decorated team at the Vicente Calderón Stadium, when Atletico Madrid resoundingly slapped the rossoneri and consequently eliminated the Italian side from the Champions League by winning the game 4-1.

Barbara must be pretty upset by the result, since she was one of the major architects of the ousting of former head coach Massimiliano Allegri and the taking aboard of ex-player Clarence Seedorf, as the new manager of the team.

The Dutch (Seedorf played 87 games with the Netherlands' National team, apart from his long career with the team owned by Silvio Berlusconi) have had a quite poor spell with the AC Milan, so far.

AC Milan is now out of the Campions League as well as they are out of the Italian Cup, another fresh rankling defeat.

Barbara Berlusconi (left) and Clarence Seedorf (right):
will they ever laugh again together?

Among the numerous gone-wrong-items the performance of the former star of the Milan's side, Kakà, who has collected zero goals and zero assists since 14 January 2014, when Seedorf took charge of the players.

In the Italian Serie A Milan's position is not rosier, they are 8 points away from clinching the fifth place on the table, result that would allow them to play the Europa League, a very poor result (if reached at all!) for one of the most successful football side of the world.

Barbara Berlusconi might get a bit of a reproach from daddy, who mustn't have been delighted by the news coming from Madrid...

)