The death of former AC Milan president Silvio Berlusconi

The historic president of AC Milan and former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has died at the age of 86

The billionaire media mogul was transferred Friday to a hospital in Milan due to what his aides described as undergoing pre-planned medical examinations linked to leukemia.

Berlusconi has been hospitalized several times in recent years, especially after contracting Covid-19 in 2020. Despite his re-election to the Senate last year, his public appearances were rare.

Berlusconi is considered one of the most famous presidents of Italian football clubs in history, after he led the Milan team to domestic and continental glory in the eighties and nineties of the last century.

Berlusconi made memorable deals in the red and black team, especially the Dutch trio Marco van Basten, Ruud Gullit and Frank Rijkaard. And he contracted with coach Arigo Saki, who made a technical revolution in football tactics, in addition to the feat coach Fabio Capello.

He played a major role in saving Milan from bankruptcy in 1986 when he became the owner of the club until 2007. Due to his preoccupation with the world of politics and the presidency of the government, he gave wide powers in the club to his right-hand man, Adriano Galliani.

During his 31 years in ownership of Milan, including 20 years in which he held the position of president, Berlusconi won 29 titles, including five in the Champions League and 8 in the Italian League “Serie A”.

After he built the glory of Milan during three decades before selling it, he returned to the first division from the gate of the humble Monza, who he bought in 2018, so he finished eleventh in the last season.

Berlusconi has been prime minister three times since 1990 and has dominated public life for years through his media and sports empire.

He was excluded from the Senate in November 2013 after being convicted of tax evasion and banned from participating in parliamentary elections for six years, but he was elected to the European Parliament in 2019.

He is a very controversial figure in Italy, and many trials were launched against him that affected his long career.

A Milan court acquitted him in February of paying bribes for witnesses to lie about his notorious “bunga bunga” parties.

The trial of “Ruby Tier” is one aspect of the “Rubigette” scandal and the famous nights he organized with young women for money in his luxurious mansion near Milan.