Milan legend Franco Baresi believes the Rossoneri will rise again if they learn from Nils Liedholm. “Fourth place is possible, you just need patience.”
Monday will be the 40th anniversary of Milan winning their 10th Serie A title, the so-called Scudetto della Stella because it allows clubs to place a permanent star on their jerseys.
Milan legend Franco Baresi believes the Rossoneri will rise again if they learn from Nils Liedholm. “Fourth place is possible, you just need patience.”
Monday will be the 40th anniversary of Milan winning their 10th Serie A title, the so-called Scudetto della Stella because it allows clubs to place a permanent star on their jerseys.
“I only realised over the course of time how important that victory was, but at the time I was thinking of my parents, who were no longer with us and would’ve liked to see me,” Baresi told La Gazzetta dello Sport.
“We were a good team, but nobody believed we could win the Scudetto, because Juventus and Inter were the favourites. Yet Liedholm, with his balance and good humour, taught everyone a lesson. That title was his masterpiece.
“I remember that just before a Milan Derby, he didn’t even tell us players that Gianni Rivera was injured, so he surprised everyone with a formation that had two strikers and we won 1-0 with Maldera’s goal.”
The current Rossoneri scenario is up in the air and Coach Gennaro Gattuso is reported to be hanging by a thread.
“If Liedholm were here, I think he’d say we needed to be patient, because he was a very calm person, even if he did get angry every now and then,” continued Baresi.
“All of Italian football misses a character like him, as he had charisma, elegance and vision beyond what anyone else could see. If I could bring a player of that era to the current Milan squad, it’d be Rivera, a real champion on the field and off.
“There’s time to think about the future, because we should take it one step at a time and focus on beating Bologna. If we win every remaining match, I believe fourth place is still possible.
“Milan are fortunate enough to have great fans who never abandoned us. I am convinced that with these new owners, the fans will get back to seeing a great Milan.
“I can say that, because I spent two years in Serie B with Milan, but then I won everything there was to win. There is always light at the end of the tunnel. You just need patience, as Liedholm would say.”