AC Milan and UEFA Champions League are ideally binding. It is their fate to play in the European top flight every season since they are one of the classic big team with a tradition to win. Their home turf, San Siro, suits for European games as approximately 75,000 fans would create great atmosphere for the team.
Milan is currently still the second best team in UCL history, when it comes to the number of titles, with seven titles in hand. Many great players have been included into the club’s golden days. Jose Alfatini, Fabio Capello, Ruud Gullit, Marco Van Basten, Frank Rijkaard, Dejan Savicevic, Paolo Maldini, Franco Baresi, Dida and Andrey Shevchenko are some of those figures.
Several managers have craved their names as the key men in AC Milan glory such as Nereo Rocco, Arrigho Sacchi, Fabio Capello and Carlo Ancellotti. Each of them has been able to win the titles for Rossoneri.
Top Achievements
AC Milan have clinched seven the Champions League titles in eleven chances. Only Real Madrid could topple them in terms of a number of silverwares. Their first title was clinched in 1963 by beating the reigning champions Benfica 2-1 in the summit. Their next one was snatched in 1969 afted trashing Ajax 4-1 in the final. Nereo Rocco was the mastermind behind their first two tifles.
Rossonerri had to wait for 21 years for their next trophies. Led by Arrigho Sacchi and his former players, Carlo Ancellotti plus former assistant Fabio Capello, Milan won five times in two decades, in 1989,1990, 1994, 2003 and 2007.
Besides winning this competition, Milan did also reached the final on four occasions for nothing. They were well-beaten by Real Madrid in 1958, thumped by Marseille and Louis Van Gaal’s Ajax respectively in 1993 and 1995, plus dramatically defeated in a shootout against Liverpool in 2005.
Iconic Moments in the Champions League
As the first Italian team to make the first entry in European top tier, Milan should have had plenty of Iconic Moments here. Their first title in 1963 was fairly incomparable moment. Jose Alfatini and Co beat Benfica which aimed for winning the titles three times in a row.
However, the most unforgettable finals for Rossonerro were in 1990, 1994 and 2007. In ther early decade of 1990, Frank Rijkaard’s only goal versus Benfica helped the team retain the title. A record which held for years till Real Madrid broke it in 2017. In mid 1990s, AC Milan hammered Johan Cruyff’s Barcelona 4-0, one of the highest scoring finals in Champions League history whereas in 2007, it was a revenge over their dramatic loss against The Reds. Ancelotti’s side crushed Liverpool 2-1.
Meanwhile, there are at least two most heartbreaking moments, the final in 2005 and 1993 edition. In the mid 2000s, Milan faced off Liverpool in Istanbul. Leading 3-0 at the first half, they were stunned by Steven Gerrard and Co’s fantastic comeback at the second half plus Jerzy Dudek’s wonderful form on penalties. Last but not least, in 1993, AC Milan was the favorite but lost to the underdog Marseille.