From Christmas carols to “cori della curva”

From Christmas carols to “cori della curva”, the second stage of the FIFA Master journey has just kicked off! After a well-deserved break where we could disconnect, relax, reconnect with friends and family, travel, and discover more of ourselves, this first month in Milano, despite being packed, has just slipped through our fingers.

We now play our home games at SDA Bocconi. Also, the tactics have changed from the Humanities of Sport, to Sport Management. These past four weeks we have not only begun learning the basis of business administration and finance, but also the leadership skills needed to run sports organizations on an ever more growing and fast-changing global pitch. Everything while walking, biking, or taking the tram in a bustling city that can be discovered through its food, art, music, fashion, and of course, sports.

Our “away games” have already included module field visits to Vero Volley club facilities in Monza, Inter de Milan Corporate, and the 2026 Milano Cortina offices. And, even though we were not lucky enough to watch an actual derby" della Madonnina", we felt the chills of that match by listening to Javier Zanetti’s testimony in class, and strolling through the "Nero Azzurri" trophy room. Also, we could see the whole city from its highest point, the Allianz Tower. Without doubt, the best place to organize the next Winter Olympics is in “La Baita”, high up on the 44th floor, while staring directly into the Italian Alps and overflying Milano.

Furthermore, as it happened in Leicester, guest speakers have joined our team, spiced-up the game, and scored! Learning a bit more about UEFA’s Financial Fair Play regulation, the NBA Players’ Association, the United Soccer League, Italy’s women’s professional football, and data analysis in sports consultant firms and football agencies will definitely help us visualize better the future of the sports industry.  

Last but not least, off-the-pitch action has been absolutely thrilling. Between Calcio and Cup games in San Siro with dramatic endings and penalties missed, a heart-stopping women’s Champions League game between Vero Volley and VakifBank Istanbul, and a great win (74-70) by Olimpia Milano over Barca in the Euroliga, we couldn’t have asked for more adrenaline rushes as spectators. And as players ourselves, we have carried on with Leicester’s weekly pickup or “cascarita.” So, the goals, celebrations, fun, and excitement, remain.

In the end, it doesn’t matter if it is by keeping the score with "catenaccio" vibes, or looking for that tie-breaker in Sarri’s fashion at the very end, everyone is just playing and enjoying both the game and life itself. Whether we realize it or not, we are playing and winning our life’s "scudetto".

See you soon!

Paola López Yrigoyen

FIFA Master 24th edition

FIFA Master - International Master in Management, Law and Humanities of Sport, ranked  Europe's No.1 course a record 11 times by SportBusiness.

Organised by CIES in partnership with De Montfort University (UK), SDA Bocconi School of Management (Italy) and the University of Neuchâtel (Switzerland).