Yesterday for the first time in my life I saw the 90 minutes of the Milan-Barcelona CL final back in 1994.
My view before ever watching it: I was under this impression we made thousands of shots, and that we had them on their own side from start to end. I never really thought of Panucci playing in the LB till recently with Roma (of course I should have thought about it, as I knew both Costacurta and Baresi were suspended, so Maldini was going to be a CD, which it also didn't cross my mind). And I also got a little confused with the numbers, watching Maldini with #6, Galli with #5, and Panucci with #3 had me confused for the first minutes. I also thought our first two goals were early in the 1st half, and the last 2 were in the middle-end of the 2nd half.
The game:
The first 20 minutes we dominated the possession and had some danger, but the most dangerous play came from a Romario chance that Maldini cleared out (amazing he still does it the same way 14 years later). After our goal, we played a very smart way. It wasn't pure offensive football, but smart football, we didn't let them have possession in our half (which considering the type of players Barcelona had was the smartest thing to do) and we obligated them to do long range passes. Eventhough I think our defense was awesome, the guy that didn't let Barcelona do anything was Marcel Dessailly with the help of Albertini, but Dessailly was just out of this world, he won us the midfield battle. Another thing that worked perfectly for us was the play on the flanks, Panucci (who was a baby at that time) was close to perfect running the left side, while Tassoti made a great game too on the right side. We were tactically perfect. And then in the last 5 minutes we started doing our thing, becoming dangerous near Zubizarreta's area. Just before HT, one of the greatest and most underrated assists in the world by Donadoni (I think this one is by far my favorite play of that match) ended in a perfectly executed goal by Massaro.
The second half started, and Barcelona wasn't even able to shake of the shock of Massaro's second nor even get settled on the ground, when Savicevic takes the ball away from Nadal (which later in the analysis it was said that it was a foul, but that it was better that the ref didn't whistle it, cause of the beauty that came from it), and then the #10 scored that amazing goal we have all seen. And Barcelona started becoming dirty, they at least made 5 red card deserving fouls, that the ref prefered to show the yellow, maybe cause he thought it could have diminish Milan's great game. Barcelona tried to but they found themselves in front of the wall that was our DM's + CD's (and the rare times they passed them, they made easy shots for Rossi to save). All of the sudden Savicevic hits the post, someone of Barcelona tries to clear it, but Desailly + Albertini take it away, Albertini passes it to Desailly all alone in front of the GK, and he made a wonderful goal. For the next 20 minutes or so, we were just toying around with them, passing the ball, here and there. Finally I saw
that play in which Savicevic was going to make a corner kick but decided to give it to the Barcelona defender
, so arrogant, but so great. I think our only sub was someone who I never heard of in my life
for Maldini who got injured. Finally the game ended.
Receiving the trophy: I was all WTF!? when I saw it. I'm more used to the see the losers get their medals first, then the winners, and lastly the captain will raise the cup. It was the complete opposite Tassoti raised the cup, passing it to the other players, and then Barcelona players got their loser prize. That's without mentioning that ever since I remember players get their medals with their team shirt + pants...no in here our players were parading around in their undies (it was just one, who seemed very drunk), and shirtless or with the Barcelona shirt.
Sidenotes: Back in 1994, the TV rarely did close ups of the players (not even after they scored!). They prefer to do close ups of the coaches (ok, it was nice to see Cruyff's arrogant ass getting kicked). It was probably also an amazing event watching so many seats for the press cause right after our first goal they showed the press for about 30 seconds or more.
It was one of Berlusconi's top 5 days ever. There were little notes passing in the RAI transmission that said he got the trust of the congress, and Capello said that both Milan and Berlusconi had one their battles that day.
Chi non salta nerazzuro è! was sang in about 3/4 of the game. It seems Inter won one of least bigger european trophies that year, and they were probably parading it like it was the best thing ever (probably telling Milan fans "europa siamo noi!" thinking we didn't stood a chance against Barcelona), poor lossers we are always on top of them.
.
The youtube links from where I saw the game (that dude that uploaded it has a lot of classics in his channel)
part 1,
part 2,
part 3,
part 4,
part 5,
part 6,
part 7,
part 8,
part 9,
part 10,
receiving the trophy.
EDIT: LONGEST POST EVER!