Absurd, the team had still many of its core players including Baresi, Rikjaard, Maldini, Donandoni, Costacurta, Tassoti, Albertini, Massaro plus the addition of Boban, Savicevic and Desailly. The whole AC Milan dynasty is from 87 to 95, the end coming on the CL final defeat to Ajax.
I don't know if this was brought up already, but there was a period where Ronaldo recieved harsh criticsm during his first season at Inter in 97/98 https://groups.google.com/forum/?hl...o7.ru.sport.football/CkGJ96oABig/nbiDE9SgN48J https://groups.google.com/forum/?hl...o7.ru.sport.football/Gk9SQiw5-w0/SP248bhxOP0J https://groups.google.com/forum/?hl...o7.ru.sport.football/cX4bxsXrLOI/mF2yFDGUYzgJ Quite bizzare that there are people over at X-T calling it the 'best season of all time'.
you have NO HISTORY back ground in football ... to say the LEAST - GOSH Suggest to go WIKI and GOOGLE it - many kids do that and they do HELP! Well I guess that would take you FOREVER ... so let me help QUICK: - According to ELO ratings: AC Milan led by Basten, Gullit Rijkaard, Baresi, Donadoni, Costacurta ... REACHED their HIGHEST 2018 points of ALL TIME (AC milan history) and that was ENDED by early 1993 (when the Holland Trio left) - Now the "left over" AC MIlan greats (you mentioned with Massaro, Tassorti .. in 93-96) reached the 1930points when the met Barca dream team (>1820+ points)
In 1993-94 (the season without no MvB, Gullit etc. at all) they won the league but scored a whopping 36 goals in 34 games. Surely the cracks were already visible and without such good defence (and some other lucky circumstances) they had not won the league. As for the CL final, their luck was that Barcelona was exhausted while they had three weeks to recover and prepare for one match. The dynasty as untouchable machine is from 1987-93 (with 1990-91 as exception btw).
I am measuring the team as being successful with a similar core of players, not just their absolute peak. That was not the only reason, I feel Cruyff's 3-4-3 was bound to leave Barca exposed in the rear against a side with an inspired forward, which they met in that final against AC Milan and Savicevic. For that AC Milan team, their peak was from 87 to 91, but their run can be extended into 95 or even 96 until it's finally over.
That AC Milan "left over" from Sacchi were still "solid" but they lacked of the whole lot of fire - since Papin, Massaro and Savicevic were FAR OFF from the previous trio Basten-Gullit - Rijkaard quality Like Puck mentioned they made an UNWANTED record of a SerieA winner with just 1goal/game scored and allowed 0.5goal/game! With the UCL title , they ended up as a DOUBLE LUCK year. NOTHING to be proud of Somewhat agree with you that Cruijff Barca lost in a battle of "wits" - tactical issue. Cruijff and his dream team underestimated the AC Milan firearms in attack and play a much wider strategy to have fallen into Milan trap ... fast counter attack (as usual)
3-4-3 is not a bad formation for dealing with a 4-4-2. Decisive was really the sub-par physical shape of Barcelona. Btw, as funny anecdote: originally John Blankenstein would be the referee but Milan managed to get this Dutch ref off the match, a few days before the final. Instead, Milan themselves filled in a request and the ref they wanted was also assigned... Very funny, but peculiar.
That's excuses ... Barca were on FIRE to have beaten both Real and Sevilla just 1,2 weeks before UCL final with NO physical degrades at all - they beat Sevilla 5-1 by the way (5 days before UCL final) The review, highlighted below (in bold) showed 2 main reasons: 1- They were fouled in tactics by Capello's wit 2- J Cruijff and his team as usual ... were arrogant and too much OVER confident Rewind to 1994 Milan down the Dream Team In 1994, Fabio Capello's AC Milan underdogs took on the favourites, Johan Cruyff's Barcelona, in the final of the Champions League. Although many expected the defensive-minded Italians to be overrun by their attacking Spanish counterparts, the under-strength Rossoneri put in one of the finest performances in the competition - led by Dejan Savicevic - to win 4-0 and seal their fifth European trophy in some style. ... La Gazzetta dello Sport's Alessandra Bocci revealed: "Johan Cruyff, in a rather un-elegant way, was photographed holding the Champions League trophy before the match. So this showed the difference in attitude between a Barcelona team that was flying high with confidence, and a Milan side that was essentially in pieces."
Milan players have also said how Barcelona looked tired that day. And that shows itself in reaction time and such. Romario did apart from the first 15 minutes nothing. I saw the game one-and-a-half years ago again or so. I do think tiredness was a factor, Romario was clearly not as sharp and was at his best in the initial phases. If you call it an excuse... OK. It is also the responsibility of a manager to make good schedules of course (but that Milan had three more weeks was probably important as well, and Italians are very good in living towards one game).
1987-91 is in any event a wrong demarcation because 1990-91 was probably their worst of all those seasons. It was the end of Sacchi; Berlusconi needed to make a choice between Sacchi or MvB. I agree that the artistic peak was the Sacchi era and not the one with Capello (who fell out with so many creative players, aided by his whimsical rotation system, that eventually all creativity departed the team).
I did not say "tireness" was not a factor. But to claim it as a main factor then it would be excuse. Yes Liga play longer and more games than SerieA as fact, but that happened all seasons long ... not just that team. That's what I meant. On top of that, it was Manager job to rotate and keep key players in form when needed ... and it was "part of the TACTICS from coaching. Cruijff was a great coach and he surely knew that. However like mentioned in early post, Cruijff and his team were just TOO SURE and CONFIDENT before teh final and that made them looked bad when things did not go their way ... Believe me, Cruijff was my very first Idol, and at that time I was a "pro Romario" fan (so I know how the team workd) . I was so pissed at that game watching live result!
Why thank you, for yet again exposing your ugly nature. I do think Europe is going down the drain. And my latest visits to Spain, make me look like an optimist, in my opinion, because the situation is getting ugly for Europe. Having said that, I say the same exact thing about (a) my home country and (b) the United States. I have never, ever, in my time in this website said that Europe is the only country doing down the drain. In fact, I do tend to include the US about every single time that I talk about countries that are, as you say, going down the drain. Having said that, I did claimed that, based on my experience, Europeans tend to have a rather closed-minded approach as to what makes a football player great. It's always the same exact players. The same exact argument. This simply is not a quality that I have found in most South Americans that I've talked to. I never suspected that saying such a thing (about Europeans) would've produced such enemies. By the way, I do not think I am sad nor aggressive. The only times I have been "confrontational" is when people ask for it. I don't remember ever being "aggressive" or "confrontational" against Celito or GreatStriker or Once or anyone else who has responded to my posts with respect and sensibility..... qualities that you clearly lack. By the way, "the things I have said about James" are fully, I repeat, fully, justified. James has described me, GreatStriker, Pipiolo, and others, as "mindless" and "ignorant" idiots basically, countless times. As much as I can honestly say I feel sympathy towards James, I must also say that James deserves the insults, as often it is James who begins using insults in the first place. As usual Puck, you talk about "hatred for other countries", you actively attack me or question me simply because you do not like me, meaning that you have a personal problem with me. Clearly, something is not right with you. I honestly mean it. I may be aggressive or confrontational when discussing football-related matters, but I don't have a personal vendetta against any member of this forum nor against the nationality of any member of this forum. Puck, you are the biggest hypocrite on this board, by a mile. Don't expect me to respond to you ever again.
I have many of Ronaldo's Inter matches from season 1997/1998. I can confirm that is true. The Spanish commentators did criticized him, in some games rather heavily. It was not unusual that another Inter player would have a better game than Ronaldo. I told this to James, but he wouldn't listen, told me that I was in "denial" and being a "hater", you know, his usual retort whenever R9 is discussed. Anyways, I'm glad you've offered those source/references.
Good finds. Though it must be said that Moratti was known for making strong statements and also unlucky interfering in affairs.
One should take and UNDERSTAND the situation ... within a CONTEXT (I am not talking about you or Schwuppe) I followed Ronaldo and Football close enough to know few things or two, That thing (Moratti's burst) happened right after Ronaldo came back from Brazil (Xmas) and had like 4 games goals draught in Jan 1998 ... SO : it was TRUE, to Ronaldo's standard = having BAD games and Moratti was a bit harsh but also had a point. But is it that BAD? compare to other tops strikers? NOT AT ALL ... many had like 6,7 games draught is normal But right after that comment from Moratti, Ronaldo scored 16goals in next 17 games until the end season
Many think they know but most often the info is not clear ! Here are some brief of Ronaldo's fiasco regarding his "Nike" and his infamous "Knee injuries" Ronaldo with NIKE vs Michael Jordan: - NIKE bought over Ronaldo's full right (under his agent's agreement at time as Ronaldo was just a kid) - Why? by mid 90's, NIKE had an ambition to lay their feet into Football, the most popular sports in the world. With Michael Jordan reaching the end of his career soon in Basketball, NIKE quickly jump to Ronaldo in order to make him a "new Jordan" (or Pele) in Football for their own success. - by end of 97, M. Jordan led Chicago to play an exhibition games in Paris (of course supported by NIKE) as a big event in Europe. Ronaldo came and watch the game. Interview (NIKE) with Jordan at game end: " You had a good game Mike, and guess who comes and watch you play? Ronaldo" Jordan: " Sorry who?" "Oh you don't know Ronaldo? the best player on the planet in football" Jordan shook his head and said: " No, but I do know Pele" ... Asked Ronaldo: "Do you enjoy the game? Or you follow Basketball at all?" Ronaldo : "I love it. I do watch Basketball when I can. Everytime I watched Jordan making his moves to score I want to cry " Ronaldo with his Knee injuries and "dopping stuffs" - With the arrange between his agent and NIKE, Ronaldo was supposed to play in Europe (top clubs no later on than 96 or 97 when he reached 20) but his agent sneaked around and got Ronaldo playing earlier with PSV, (NIKE did not like it, but too late- especially that Ronaldo determined to follow Romario's footsteps = playing for either PSV or Barca) - Not many know Ronaldo has inequal knee veins, ligaments from right to left, and they both are weak as natural born. Which might be "normal" for "normal person" but NOT for a fenomeno who constantly uses both feet at highest speed and STOP / CHANGE direction unexpectedly! (this made things WORSE) - So, PSV was the very first club which KNEW about Ronaldo's (big risk) knees potential great issues. SO they did FAKE all medical documents and (sometimes) prepare some "stuffs" for Ronaldo (dopping?) so he can play as "normal" without pain. - So PSV sold Ronaldo to Barca. Barca learned about Ronaldo's medical state, but that was quickly FORGOTTEN following his greatest season - - By the end 97, when Barca lost the liga, thing came back and they had not much choice but to GET RID of a potential big issue (R9) combined with their own issue in team spirits and coaching staffs (disagreement) - The rest was HISTORY, and Inter (or some other) had to suffer that big LOSS (Ronaldo broke his ligament TWICE in 99 and 2001) During an interview with J Zanetti : " the most emotion moment I had in Football when I saw Ronaldo fallen to ground and cried like a baby" Interviewer: "Oh I remember clearly that day, inside a stadium with almost 60thousands as crowd, I still recall that (bffft) sound when Ronaldo fell on his feet! A sudden silence followed suit like magic! Later on I learned that was his ligament torn up "
Romario. Ronaldo was one of the greatest dribblers and goalscorers, but Romario was game-changer, the rare types of players that we really able to turn around matches.
well they both were greatest center forwards and game changers ... that Football (people) will miss their playing style for a LOOOOOONG while ... hopefully sooner then later ...
It wasn't about their playing style , they were legendary players by themselves, it is more about their supreme fast mind - reflexes connection. There is only 1-2 players in one decade like that.
I have to say that these are the first articles that I have come across in terms of criticism toward's Ronaldo's first season(Inter). Interesting find. It also goes to mention Ronaldo's lack of service, Im paraphrasing here.
Of course. Actually good player is good at everything, I have seen many Romario's passes that impressed me way more than Zidane's who played as a playmaker. I wonder what if Ronaldo was playing at his teens as Romario benefiting from great positioning instead of dribbling at high speed for a long distances. That style of play at young age killed Ronaldo knees, he was doing probably too much for an 19-20 year old by running at the limit and going into some dangerous dribbles. Romario till 21-22 wasn't even close to that Ronaldo's level, he wasn't pushing himself and self-destructing by that dangerous dribbles that ROnaldo did. If Ronaldo was playing it wiser like ROmario did and developing his mastery year by year he probably would have got much better career and without injuries instead of wasting best years of a footballer(22-26) on treatment. THe big part played lots of his contracts (Nike and others) that we putting too high expectations on Ronaldo, that's why he wasn't that flashy at WC1998, it was too much to play under that pressure for a 21 year old.
well .. but that's how he earned the nick fenomeno and people "believed" he could be a new Pele or Maradona for that ... if not, he was just another great striker ... like his post injured time which was still impressive but not among the TOP legends category per se ... Romario in other hand was also a great talent, but his self-confidence and also laid back did hurt his greatness even more than Ronaldo. I don;t know about you butI prefer the Ronaldo as he was ... rather than IF ... he would be chiken out and then ... become like another Giggs or Raul ... (still play good at 35,36 but never able to break in top legends)?