Photo from : Spain ’82, The Winning of the World Cup, by Phil Soar and Richard Widdows
(Oganessian scoring USSR’s goal vs. Belgium, July 1, 1982, World Cup, USSR 1-Belgium 0)
An interview with Algeria’s Rabah Madjer who had just joined Valencia on loan from Porto after having won the Champions Cup, UEFA Super Cup and the Intercontinantal Cup
(Magazine / Language : Onze, February 1988 / French)
(Rabah madjer scoring the famous back-heel goal vs. Bayern Munich in the 1987 Champions Cup Final)
An interview with Bulgaria and Valencia player Luboslav Penev who had just returned to action that season after missing most of the previous season recovering from Testicular cancer surgery
(Magazine / Language : Don Balon, Janury 23-29, 1995 / Spanish)
Memorable European Confrontations, Part 4-1991-Olympique Marseille vs. AC Milan
The Quarterfinal pairing of AC Milan and Olympique Marseille in 1991 was one of the most hyped matchups in years.
AC Milan were two time defending European Champions with visionary manager Arrigo Sacchi and its Dutch trio of Gullit, van Basten, Rijkaard and Italian internationals such as Baresi, Maldini and Donadoni.
However, the team seemed to be in decline and not as fearsome as previous years.
In contrast, free spending OM were hot on their heels to be Europe’s premier team, with star striker Jean-Pierre Papin and the backbone of the French national team.
Their foreign contingents were Brazilian defender Carlos Mozer, English winger Chris Waddle and Ghana’s Abedi Pele, along with Yugoslavian Dragan Stojkovic out injured for most of the season.
Photo From: Onze-Mondial, April 1991
(Chris Waddle and Carlo Ancelloti)
Visionary and politically ambitious Presidents led both teams. Silvio Berlusconi had transformed an ailing AC Milan into the best in Europe and Bernard Tapie had turned OM into one of the strongest sides on the continent.
Though Marseille were League leaders, they had gone through several changes off the field.
Gerard Gili, the manager at the start of the season, had been dismissed to make way for Franz Beckenbauer, who just months earlier had led Germany to the World Cup title.
Tapie saw in him as the ideal manager to take OM to the next level.
After a number of losses, Beckenbauer was moved upstairs as Technical Director and was replaced by veteran Belgian manager Raymond Goethals.
Goethals having managed Bordeaux previously, was more familiar with French soccer and soon installed stability.
The first leg was played at Milan’s San Siro stadium on March 6, 1991.
AC Milan’s star striker Marco van Basten had been sent off in the previous tie vs. Club Brugge and was suspended for three matches. Therefore, he had to sit out both matches with Marseille.
In his place Gullit was pushed up to partner Daniele Massaro and Alberigo Evani played in midfield.
Photo From: France Football, March 12, 1991, Issue 2443
(Casoni and Gullit)
Milan was also missing injured captain Franco Baresi, Fillipo Galli deputized for him.
OM had traveled without Eric Cantona and Jean Tigana who had complained about their lack of playing time under Goethals.
Eric Di Meco started in the place of Phillipe Vercruysse to bolster the defense.
Goethals had instructed the defenders to use the offside trap.
This way OM was able to disrupt Milan’s game plan.
Photo From: France Football, March 12, 1991, Issue 2443
(Di Meco and Rijkaard)
AC Milan took the lead in the 15th minute when miscommunication between Casoni and Mozer enabled Gullit to sneak through and score.
OM was generally in better shape and soon took control.
Midway through the first half Pele won a ball in the middle and laid it off to Waddle who crossed across the goalmouth for an onrushing Papin to stab home.
Photo From: France Football, March 12, 1991, Issue 2443
(Diagram of Papin’s goal)
Photo From: Onze-Mondial, April 1991
(Papin scoring the equalizer)
In the second half, Pele tackled a ball near the Milan goal area that deflected off the post.
Sacchi sent on Marco Simone and Angelo Carbone in the 58th minute to make an impact to no avail.
OM had dominated AC Milan in Milan, like no other team in the last few seasons.
Gullit and Rijkaard in interviews conceded that Milan had lost the tactical battle.
Arrigo Sacchi stated that this OM is an evernmore complete side than the Red Star Belgrade side of 1988 that almost eliminated Milan.
Chris Waddle went on to say that had it been a boxing match, OM would have won on points.
March 6, 1991
Associazione Calcio Milan-Milano (Italy) 1-Olympique de Marseille (France) 1
Uniform Colors: White Shirts, White Shorts , White Socks
For the return leg on March 20th at Stade Velodrome, Marseille were in confident mood and sensed were about to make history.
Sacchi was less confident in his starting goalkeeper Andrea Pazzagli, he therefore promoted Sebastiano Rossi to start the return leg.
Franco Baresi was back captaining Milan.
Massimo Agostini started as strike partner of Gullit, in place of Massaro from the previous tie.
Photo From: Onze-Mondial, April 1991
(Captains Baresi and Papin)
OM had lost midfielder Bernard Pardo to injury for the rest of the season. Laurent Fournier took his place.
Milan generally played better than the first leg, notably Evani and Donadoni.
Evani came close to score from a free kick that was tipped over by Olmeta; otherwise Mozer ably defended all of Milan’s assaults.
With quarter of an hour remaining, Waddle, Papin and Pele once again combined to score for OM. This time, Pele crossed the ball to Papin in the middle who headed it wide for Waddle to volley home from the outside of the box.
Photo From: France Football, March 26, 1991, Issue 2445
(Diagram of Waddle goal)
With minutes remaining some of the floodlights in the stadium went off.
The Milan players started protesting about the lack of light and visibility.
Adriano Galliani Berlusconi’s right hand man, ordered the players to leave the field.
After a few minutes the referee had no choice but to end the match and declare OM as winners.
Photo From: Onze-Mondial, April 1991
(Ancelloti and Mozer)
Galliani tendered his resignation afterwards, which Berlusconi did not accept.
Milan were fined and banned for one season of European Competition.
Arrigo Sacchi left his post at AC Milan at the end of the season and took over Italy’s national team the following season.
Sacchi went on to say that Milan had been the best team in the last two years but were no longer.
Photo From: Onze-Mondial, April 1991
(Tassoti and Germain)
It appeared that an era had ended and a new one had begun.
The rumours started that new players were needed to replace fading stars like Donadoni, Gullit and even van Basten.
The names of Eranio, Lentini, Desideri and Ferron were mentioned, as well as Red Star Belgrade’s trio of Robert Prosinecki, Dejan Saavicevic and Darko Pancev.
Berlusconi eventually chose to remain faithful with the unit of players that had won those many titles for the following season.
OM went on to defeat Spartak Moscow in the next round but lost on a penalty kick shoot-out to Red Star Belgrade in the final.
Photo From: France Football, March 26, 1991, Issue 2445
(Waddle between Evani and Maldini)
They would win this much-coveted trophy two years later vs. AC Milan, which included Papin.
AC Milan did not disappear; they would recover, rebuild and dominate the Champions League for the next decades.
March 20, 1991
Olympique de Marseille (France) 1-Associazione Calcio Milan-Milano (Italy) 0
Champions Cup- Quarter Finals, Seond Leg
Venue: Stade Velodrome
Attendance:37,603
Referee: Bo Karlsson (Sweden)
Goalscorers: (Olympique Marseille): Chris Waddle 75
(PSV Eindhoven and AC Milan squads, December 9, 1992, Champions League, PSV Eindhoven 1-AC Milan 2)
Photo From: Onze, September 1988
(Anderlecht, 1988)
Photo From: Onze, Juen 1976
(OM squad before French Cup Final of 1976)
Photo From: Onze, February 1987
(Napoli, Italian Champions 1986/87)
Photo From: Guerin Sportivo, April 26-May 2, 1989
(Barcelona squad 1988/89)
Photo From: Don Balon, March 20-26, 1995
(Atletico Madrid 1976/77)
Photo From: World Soccer, September 1992
(Sao Paulo 1992)
Photo From: World Soccer, June 1992
(Ajax Amsterdam 1991/92)
Photo From: World Soccer, January 1985
(Independiente 1984 on cover of World Soccer magazine)
Photo From: World Soccer, November 1979
(Valencia 1979/80 on cover of World Soccer magazine)
Photo From: World Soccer, May 1966
(Partizan Belgrade, 1965/66)
Photo From: World Soccer, November 1964
(SV Hamburg, 1964/65)
Photo From: L’Annee du Football, 1992
(Leeds United, England Champiosn 1992)
Photo From: Onze, November 1981
(FC Porto, 1981/82)
Photo From: Onze, March 1976
(AC Milan 1975/76)
Photo From: Mondial, February 1983
(Waterschei squad 1982/83)
Photo From: Guerin Sportivo, October 13-19, 1982
(AZ 67 Alkmaar squad, 1982/83)
Photo From: Fussball Magazin, January/ February 1984
(SV Hamburg lineup, prior to Intercontinental Cup match vs. Gremio in December 11, 1983, Hamburg lost 1-2)
Photo From: Foot Magazine, March 1987
(Manchester United, FA Cup Winners 1985)
Photo From: Don Balon, April 12-18, 1994
(Real Zaragoza, 1993/94)
Photo From: 100 Anni del Campionato del Calcio
(1974/75 Juventus squad)
(USSR Squad, February 24, 1990, USA 1-USSR 3)
Photo from: 100 Melhores do Futebol Portugues, Vol II, Author Rui Dias, 2002
(Portugal squad, January 15, 1992, Portugal 0-Spain 0)
Photo from: Onze, Hors Serie 26, 1986
(Northern Ireland squad, October 16, 1985, World Cup Qualifier, Romania 0-Northern Ireland 1)
Photo From: Foot Magazine, No. 29, November 1983
(Belgium squad, October 12, 1983, EC Qualifier, Scotland 1-Belgium 1, Top, left to right: Luc Millecamps, Walter Meeuws, Jean-Marie Pfaff, Ludo Coeck, Jan Ceulemans, Bottom, left to right : Michel Wintacq, Eddy Voordeckers, Nico Claesen, Francois van der Elst, Eric Gerets, Frank Vercauteren)
Photo From: Het Nederlands Elftal, De Histoire van Oranje, 1905-1989
(Holland squad, March 26, 1977, World Cup Qualifying, Belgium 0-Holland 2)
Photo from : Calcio 2000, August 1999
(Brazil squad, June 17, 1962, World Cup Final, Brazil 3-Czechoslovakia 1)
Photo From: Todo Sobre La Seleccion Espanola, Felix Martialay, 2006
(Spain squad, March 26, 1969, Spain 1-Switzerland 0)
Photo From: France Football, Issue 1862, December 15, 1981
(France 1958 World Cup squad)
Photo From: se Lvickem na prsou-Authors O.Bartunek, J.Kalat
(Czechoslovakia squad, June 20, 1947, Denmark 2-Czechoslovakia 2)
Photo from: Seleccao Brasileira -90 Anos 1914-2004, Authors Antonio Carlos Napoleao, Roberto Assaf
(Brazil squad, August 1, 1930, Brazil 3-France 2)
Photo From: Deutschlands Fussball Landerspiele, Eine Dokumentation von 1908-1989
(Germany squad, January 1, 1923, Italy 3-Germany 1)
