Two decades of ‘Rossoneri’ Empire

The beginning of Milan’s realm comes with the arrival of Silvio Berlusconi to the club on 20 February 1986, rescuing it from the greatest economic crisis of its history. The balance of AC Milan in the last two decades is overwhelming: 7 Scudettos or Nat’l Championships, 5 European Cups, 5 European Super Cups, 5 Coppa Italia, an Italian Cup and 2 Intercontinental Cups. In 18 years, it has disputed 8 European Cup Finals (or Champions League) winning 5 of them. It is considered the best team in modern soccer.

The bold venture by Berlusconi in 1987 to contract a young and revolutionary head coach named Arrigo Sacchi changed the destiny of the Lombard club, and even that of European soccer. Milan became a winning machine with a team totally dedicated to reducing distances thereby asphyxiating their rivals, while the imaginative work was the responsibility of the ‘golden tulips’, Gullit and Van Basten, who were later joined by Rijkaard.

The Milanistas conquered Europe on two occasions by winning the 1989 Final against Steaua Bucharest (4-0, with two goals each by Van Basten and Gullit) and the 1990 against Benfica (1-0, Rijkaard). Fabio Capello took over for Sacchi and extended Milan’s first golden stage, by crushing Johan Cruyff’s Barcelona in the Final of the 1994 European Cup by 4-0; with goals by Massaro (2), Savicevic and Desailly. Ancelotti’s cycle began in 2001. He signed, among others, Inzaghi and Pirlo, who scored the winning goals against Liverpool (2-1) this past month of May in the Final of the Champions League. Previously, in 2003, it was awarded the European realm in the penalty shoot-out against its rival Juventus, with Shevchenko scoring the winning goal. Now it has to defend its title. With an intact squad, in Italy they have a saying that goes: ‘If a team is winning, it’s not changed’.

After conquering the European against Liverpool, it’s true the champion team’s spinal cord is still intact, but the almighty Milan was reinforced with the hiring of defender Digao (Kaka’s brother), midfielders Emerson and Ibrahim Ba and the 18-year-old forward Alexandre Pato, who won’t be allowed to play an official match with the Milanista squad until next January. For his services, Milan had to pay Internacional de Porto Alegre 22 million Euros in what is considered a wager on future talent. Meanwhile, Head Coach Carlo Ancelotti will continue counting on the sobriety of Dida as goalkeeper, the security of Nesta in the defence, the creativity of the ‘three-quarter’ Pirlo, the combat efficiency of the ‘soul’ of the team, Gattuso, the majesty of Kaká (candidate to the 2007Golden Ball), and the reliability of Pippo Inzaghi. Let’s also not forget that to all of them we have to add Ronaldo, who couldn’t defend the ‘red-and-black’s’ colours in the past Champions League, as he did so with Real Madrid.

In any case, Ancelotti is conscious that in the coming years a deep renovation will be necessary, since the formula of eternal youth will end up taking its toll on a squad in which only ten players don’t reach their thirties: Kaladze, Bonera, Digao, Matteo, Gattuso, Gourcuff, Pirlo, Gilardino, Kaká and Aubameyang. This weekend there are international matches being disputed, which is why we won’t see in San Mamés the Italians Ambrosini, Bonera, Gattuso, Pirlo and Oddo; the Brazilian Kaká; the Croatian Simic nor the Dutch Seedorf, as they’ve all been summoned by their respective national teams.

In any case, the Lombard club has assured us the attendance in San Mamés of former Madrid players Ronaldo, practically recovered from a muscular injury, and Emerson; in addition to Inzaghi, Maldini, Nesta, Gilardino, Jankulovski, Cafú, Duck, Serginho and Gourcuff. It will be an all out celebration between Athletic Club and the current European Champion.