Serie A

Everything You Need to Know About the 97 Playoff – Soccer Style

Published

5 months ago

05/21/2025

Staff

On May 20, 1973, Niels Liedholm’s Milan stumbled against a Verona team already saved and without ambitions, losing the Scudetto to Juventus.

The standings saw the Rossoneri in first place with 44 points. The chasers, Lazio and Juventus, were tied in second place with 43 points each. Three teams, therefore, still in the running for the title, but with the Devil in the lead. A single point against the unpretentious Venetians was enough to win the Scudetto. But instead, they were overwhelmed by the opposing winds of history.

VERONA FANS ( PHOTO BY SALVATORE FORNELLI )

Milan-Verona: a destiny written… but in pencil

There are games that go beyond the score. Matches that remain not only in memory but in the football lexicon and beyond. The “Fatal Verona” is one of those. An open wound in the heart of Milan, a spring day that turned into a nightmare.

Milan was coming off a victory in the Cup Winners’ Cup just a few days earlier. A tiring trip, considering the final was held in Thessaloniki.

And we come to May 20, 1973: the final day of the championship. The standings saw the Rossoneri in first place with 44 points, Lazio and Juventus tied in second place with 43. In short, three teams still in the running for the title, but with the Devil in the lead: a single point against the unambitious and non-ambitious Venetians would have been enough to win the championship. A “formality”. But instead, they were hit by the opposing winds of history.

With Liedholm on the bench, the Devil lined up with: Vecchi, Sabadini, Zignoli, Anquilletti, Turone, Rosato, Sogliano, Benetti, Bigon, Rivera, Chiarugi.

Verona responded with: Pizzaballa, Nanni, Sirena, Busatta, Batistoni, Mascalaito, Bergamaschi, Mazzanti, Luppi, Mascetti, Zigoni.

But at the Bentegodi stadium, in front of a Verona team already saved and without problems, everything fell apart. The match ended 5-3 for the yellow and blue team. A surreal game, almost Hitchcockian, where every expectation was overturned. And to think that things had started well from the beginning.

Milan took the lead, only to be equalized. Verona played freely, without the weight on their shoulders, and struck fiercely. An unexpected and above all unimaginable rout.

The goals were scored by: Sirena, Sabadini (own goal), a brace from Luppi, Rosato, Turone (own goal), Sabadini, and Bigon.

The rumors spread quickly. Juventus, needing an almost impossible twist of fate to win the title, started to take it seriously. And so they defeated Roma at the Olimpico with a goal from Cuccureddu, putting themselves ahead of everyone. Milan had collapsed. The Scudetto was taking a new direction.

Unthinkable Debacle

A dramatic sporting page in the history of the Rossoneri. The Devil, favored and virtually champion, finished second ahead of Chinaglia‘s Lazio. That Sunday in May remained a warning for Italian football history. That unforgiving football, which doesn’t care about anything or anyone. Verona became the measure of the mockery. An authentic keyphrase of Rossoneri’s discomfort.

So much so that history can be truly cruel. In fact, seventeen years later – in 1990 – history will repeat itself in almost the same way. But 1973 was the original. The first true “Fatal Verona” for the Rossoneri people. The one that taught that in sports, and in this case in football, until the final whistle blows, nothing is certain.

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Serie A

Milan, Modric: “A big shame, we threw away 2 points”

Published

4 hours ago

10/25/2025

Staff

AC Milan midfielder Luka Modric commented on the bitter 2-2 draw against Pisa in a press conference.

For the full interview, click here.

Milan, Modric’s words

MILAN-PISA 2-2

“We expected this match, they came to defend and make our lives difficult. It’s our fault if we didn’t win: we didn’t do enough to win the game. We lost two important points today. These home games, with all due respect to Pisa, you have to win them.”

TIGHT MARKING?

“It’s fair, I have to adapt. We need to play better overall: we did some good things, created many chances but didn’t score. But I have to adapt for the rest.”

APPROACH

“We should have killed the game in the first half. We played well, but only scored one goal. We started the second half sluggishly, then there was the unfortunate penalty and goal. But that’s football, that’s why it’s beautiful: even if you’re stronger and deserve to win, anything can happen. We are sad and angry for losing two valuable points.”

Milan

The post Milan, Modric: “A big pity, we threw away 2 points” first appeared on Calcio style.

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Serie A

We made mistakes, we need to reflect. However, Pisa played their game

Published

8 hours ago

10/25/2025

Staff

AC Milan waste a great opportunity to consolidate their lead: from 1-0 to 1-2, they need the final minutes to avoid a sensational defeat. The risk of losing the top spot for Milan is now concrete.

It was supposed to be a quiet evening for the Rossoneri, an opportunity to strengthen their first place in the standings and face the midweek round with serenity. Instead, against a brave Pisa, the Rossoneri complicate their lives and have to thank Athekame, the author of the 2-2 in injury time, for avoiding an embarrassing loss.

AC Milan-Pisa 2-2: match analysis

The match started off on the right foot thanks to Leao’s goal after just seven minutes. But Allegri’s team, instead of closing the game, relaxed, showing presumption and lacking ruthlessness in front of goal. In the first half, Milan controlled but did not score, and Pisa stayed in the game.

RAFAEL LEAO SORRIDENTE (PHOTO BY SALVATORE FORNELLI)

In the second half, Gilardino played his trump card: Cuadrado’s entry changed everything. The Colombian won and scored the penalty for 1-1, his eighth goal in career against the Rossoneri, then inspired the counterattack that led Nzola to the sensational 2-1. Milan, confused and lacking clarity, tried to react, with Leao hitting the crossbar, Nkunku wasting a possible lead.

Only in injury time did the equalizer come, signed by Athekame, avoiding a heavy defeat but not erasing the bitterness. Perhaps the Rossoneri paid for their lack of respect for the opponent, just as Allegri had warned before the start of the match.

A necessary reality check, because on Tuesday in Bergamo Milan risks not showing up as the league leaders.

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Serie A

Crazy night at San Siro: Pisa almost pulls off the upset, Rossoneri saved in stoppage time

Published

12 hours ago

10/24/2025

Staff

I rossoneri sprecano una grande occasione per consolidare il primato: da 1-0 a 1-2, servono i minuti finali per evitare una sconfitta clamorosa. Il rischio di perdere la vetta per il Milan è ora concreto.

Doveva essere una serata di tranquillità per i rossoneri, l’occasione per rafforzare il 1° posto in classifica e affrontare con serenità il turno infrasettimanale. Invece, contro un Pisa coraggioso, i rossoneri si complicano la vita e devono ringraziare Athekame, autore del 2-2 in pieno recupero, per aver evitato una figuraccia.

Milan-Pisa 2-2: l’analisi della partita

Il match si era messo subito in discesa grazie al gol di Leao dopo appena sette minuti. Ma la squadra di Allegri, invece di chiudere la partita, si è adagiata, peccando di presunzione e mancando di cattiveria sotto porta. Nel primo tempo il Milan controlla ma non affonda, e il Pisa resta in partita.

RAFAEL LEAO SORRIDENTE ( FOTO DI SALVATORE FORNELLI )

Nella ripresa Gilardino pesca il jolly: l’ingresso di Cuadrado cambia tutto. Il colombiano conquista e realizza il rigore dell’1-1, l’ottavo centro in carriera contro i rossoneri, poi ispira il contropiede che porta Nzola al clamoroso 2-1. Il Milan, confuso e poco lucido, prova a reagire, con Leao che colpisce una traversa, Nkunku spreca il possibile sorpasso.

Solo nei minuti di recupero arriva il pareggio, firmato Athekame, che evita una sconfitta pesante ma non cancella l’amarezza. I rossoneri pagano forse la mancanza di rispetto per l’avversario, proprio come aveva ammonito Allegri prima del fischio d’inizio.

Un bagno d’umiltà necessario, perché martedì a Bergamo il Milan rischia di non presentarsi più da capolista.

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The post Notte pazza a San Siro: il Pisa sfiora l’impresa, rossoneri salvati nel recupero first appeared on Calcio style.

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