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Nov. 7 - Nov.14, 2004 |
The Road to European Glory
Umberto Gandini and his AC Milan ready for continental Championships
By Mehrdad Masoudi
Originally Published: 2003-09-07
Twelve months ago AC Milan's general manager Umberto Gandini stood in the foyer at the Grimaldi Forum in Monte Carlo and regretted the state of Italian soccer. Serie A was in an apparently shambolic state, besieged by arguments, financial crises and a row over television contracts.
One year on, following the draw for the opening group stage of the Champions League, the Italian picture has changed and last Thursday Gandini was in a very different mood.
In his role with the defending European champions, Gandini had returned to the French Riviera to see his club drawn to face Spain's Celta Vigo, four-times European Cup winners Ajax of the Netherlands and Club Bruges of Belgium in group H.
The signings of Brazilian World Cup-winning right back Cafu from Roma, fellow Brazilian Kaka from Sao Paulo and left back Giuseppe Pancaro from Lazio have added experience and promise to the European champions' squad.
European champions begin the defense of their title against determined old rivals Ajax Amsterdam in their opening group match of this season's Champions League.
Milan, crowned European champions for the sixth time with their penalty shootout victory over Juventus in May, met Ajax in the quarter-finals last season and squeezed through against the exciting young Dutch side by winning 3-2 in the San Siro after a 0-0 draw in Amsterdam.
The most famous game between the clubs was in 1995 when a Patrick Kluivert goal gave Ajax a 1-0 victory over the Italians in the European Cup final in Vienna.
"We have a score to settle," said Ajax captain Rafael van der Vaart. "Milan start as the favourites, but we want our revenge for last season's elimination."
"It was very close against Ajax in the quarter-finals last season but we came through it. We also played Bruges many years ago and beat them and went on to win the final itself and so I hope those are good omens for us again this season," said Umberto Gandini.
Real Madrid, looking for a record-extending 10th European Cup victory, renew their rivalry with UEFA Cup holders Porto who they have met four times in the last seven seasons.
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