FRANCO BARESI - No. 6

 FRANCO BARESI 

1960 - 2026

NO. 6

AC MILAN 1977 - 1997

REST IN PEACE

I WAS FORTUNATE TO SEE THE GREAT FRANCO BARESI IN TWO MATCHES

MATCH 1

18/11/1992 - WORLD CUP QUALIFIER - SCOTLAND  0  ITALY  0 - IBROX STADIUM

WHEN FRANCO BARESI MADE A COME BACK TO INTERNATIONAL FOOTBALL IN 1992 ONE OF HIS FIRST MATCHES BACK WAS AGAINST SCOTLAND IN GLASGOW.  UNFORTUNATELY THE VENUE WAS IBROX STADIUM AS HAMPDEN WAS GETTING TRANSFORMED INTO AN ALL SEATED GROUND.  ON THE DAY THE TICKETS WENT ON SALE I GOT MY TICKET FOR THE CENTRE OF THE GOVAN STAND (UPPER TIER) AT IBROX WHICH TO BE FAIR IS A PRETTY GOOD POINT TO WATCH FOOTBALL.  ITALY'S NUMBER 6 DID NOT DISAPPOINT AS HE EXPERTLY MARSHALLED HIS DEFENSIVE PARTNERS AS THOUGH HE HAD THEM ON A STRING.

MATCH 2

24/05/1995 - EUROPEAN CUP FINAL - AJAX 1 AC MILAN 0 - ERNST HAPPEL STADION

IN 1994 I WENT TO THE EUROPEAN CUP FINAL IN ATHENS MAINLY TO SEE AC MILAN CAPTAINED BY FRANCO BARESI UNFORTUNATELY BARESI RECEIVED A YELLOW CARD IN THE SEMI FINAL WHICH HARSHLY RULED HIM OUT OFF THE FINAL.  A YEAR LATER MILAN MADE IT TO THE FINAL AGAIN.  THIS TIME AGAINST THE VERY TALENTED YOUNGSTERS OF AJAX.  SO AT LAST I GOT TO SEE THE GREAT FRANCO BARESI PLAY FOR MILAN & IN THE EUROPEAN CUP FINAL BUT LOUIS VAN GAAL'S EXCELLENT DUTCH SIDE DESERVEDLY WON THE MATCH AND THE TOURNAMENT.

MATCH 2075 - Saturday 25 July 2026

SEASON 2026/27

FRIENDLY

Venue:  CELTIC PARK

CELTIC  2  AC MILAN  2

Scorers:  Duran, Forrest;  Camarda(2)

Celtic's last pre-season match before the season starts for real and they welcomed seven time European Champions, AC Milan to Paradise.  My favourite foreign team mainly due to the wonderful players like Franco Baresi and Paulo Maldini.

Thankfully both clubs wore their traditional kits.  Celtic in the magnificent hoops of green & white and Milan in their equally famous red & black stripes. The two finest kits in world football.

Milan's new manager, Ruben Amorim was in the away dug out for his first match in charge, his first job after leaving Manchester United.

It was far from vintage AC Milan with the Rossoneri gifting Celtic the opening 2 goals certainly not in the class of Baresi and Maldini.  Celtic took the lead into half time but it didn't last long as two goals within the first 7 minutes of the restart brought the sides level again.  There were no more goals so the entertaining contest ended in a draw.

Match report: LINK

Personal note:

• This was the 5th time attending this fixture, the other four were in the Champions League
• Overall this was the 7th time seeing AC Milan since 1994

FLASHBACK - MATCH 460 - 20 June 1990

SEASON 1989/90

FIFA WORLD CUP FINALS

Venue: STADIO DELLE ALPI

BRAZIL 1  SCOTLAND  0

Scorer: Muller

Attendance: 62.500

My final match at Italia 90 and it is a match against the Brazilians although not a vintage Brazil team nonetheless it was fantastic to see them at a World Cup Finals.

The venue this time was Turin and there was meant to be a carnival atmosphere by the time we got there but due to torrential rain, it felt more like summer in Troon and all festivities were off.

The match looked to be heading for a goalless draw but with 7 minutes to go Brazil found the winning goal.

After the match we headed into Turin for a party but everything was closed so had to wait in Turin's train station to catch an early morning train back to Rimini.

Match report: 

Personal note:

• The 4th match I attended at Italia 90 World Cup
• It was also my 5th time seeing a match on mainland Europe
• This was my 18th time seeing Scotland overall and 2nd time seeing them play Brazil

FLASHBACK - MATCH 459 - 19 June 1990

SEASON 1989-90

FIFA WORLD CUP FINALS - ITALIA 90

Group D

Venue:  Stadio Renato Dall'Ara

YUGOSLAVIA  4  UNITED ARAB EMIRATES  1

Scorers:  Susic, Pancev(2), Prosinecki;  Thani

Attendance: 27,833

It was always the intention to get to another match at Italia 90 other than one involving Scotland so I took a train trip to Bologna to watch a random one between the old country of Yugoslavia and the Arab state of United Arab Emirates.

Yugoslavia had some of the finest footballers of European football at the time including Dragan Stojkovic, Darko Pancev and up and coming stars Robert Prosinecki and Dejan Savicevic. So it was well worth the trip from Rimini to see a few stars of European football and they didn't disappoint scoring four goals.  Carlos Alberto Parreira was the manager of UAE at the time.  At the next World Cup he would manage Brazil to their 4th World Cup win.

Italy's set up for the World Cup was excellent for the travelling fans.  As soon as you got off the train there was bus link direct to the ground of Renato Dall'Ara.

Match report: 

Personal note:

• The 3rd match I attended at Italia 90 World Cup Finals
• This was the 4th match on mainland Europe that I have attended
• This was the 2nd time seeing Yugoslavia having seen them at Hampden Park, Glasgow during the qualification stage for the 1990 World Cup.

FLASHBACK - MATCH 458 - Saturday 16 June 1990

SEASON 1989/90

FIFA WORLD CUP FINALS - ITALIA '90

Venue:  Stadio Luigi Ferraris

SWEDEN  1  SCOTLAND  2

Scorers: Stromberg; McCall, Johnston

Attendance 31,823

On this day in 1990 I was at the FIFA World Cup in Italy watching a clash between two Northern European countries Scotland & Sweden.

Like the first World Cup match the venue was Genoa which meant another 10 hour round trip by coach from our base in Rimini.  

Many of the Swedish fans were also based in Rimini and mixed brilliantly with their Scottish counterparts. 

This time Scotland recorded a rare World Cup finals win.

Match report: 

Personal note:

• This was the 2nd match I attended at the 1990 World Cup Finals
• This was the 17th Scotland match I had attended 
• 3rd match attended on Mainland Europe

FLASHBACK - MATCH 457 - Monday 11 Jun 1990

SEASON 1989/90

FIFA WORLD CUP FINAL - ITALIA 90

GROUP C

Venue: Stadio Luigi Ferraris

COSTA RICA  1  SCOTLAND  0

Scorer: Juan Cayasso 

Attendance: 30,867

On this day in 1990 I attended my first game of Italia 90 FIFA World Cup Finals.  The match was played in the North-west of Italy, Genoa.  Our base for the two week stay in Italy was Rimini which is on the opposite coast so it meant a 6 hour trip by coach to the game that I'm not sure many were expecting.

Pre match there was a great atmosphere in the city and it was everything you would want to be - a great football festival.

The match did not go as well as expected though as Scotland suffered what was considered a shock defeat at the hands of their Central America opponents who were competing in their first World Cup finals.

Personal note:

• Overall this was the 16th Scotland match that I had attended but the first one not at Hampden Park.
• Outside of Bonnie Scotland this was the 16th match I attended.
• This was the 2nd match I attended on mainland Europe.  

Stadio Luigi Ferraris, Genoa

MATCH 2042 - Thursday 11 December 2025

 SEASON 2025/26

GROUP STAGE

Venue:  CELTIC PARK

CELTIC  0  ROMA  3

Scorers:  OG, Ferguson(2)

Celtic are completely outplayed in the first half and lucky to be only three down.  It seemed everything that could go wrong did.  Firstly a own goal was conceded, then Irishman Euan Ferguson scored twice to make it 0-3, next on the stroke of half time Celtic missed a penalty.  The bad luck continued in the second half as Celtic had a goal ruled out by VAR for offside.

Finally something did go right when Roma had a goal chopped out for offside so the deficit at least did not increase.

Match report:  LINK

Personal note: 

• Roma become the 6th Italian club that I've seen Celtic play in UEFA competition
• This was the 2nd time seeing Roma play Celtic both at Celtic Park
• Overall the 3rd time I've seen Roma

MATCH 1936 - Wednesday 4 October 2023

 SEASON 2023/24

Group Stage

Venue: CELTIC PARK

CELTIC  1  LAZIO  2

Scorers: Kyogo; Vecino, Pedro

The fixture that gives a last minute winner - every time .  Unfortunately this time it wasn't for Celtic as the Italians snatched a last gasp goal to take all three group points.

Celtic took an early lead with a lovely move however conceded a soft set piece goal which meant the sides were level at half time.

Personal note:

•  Only the 2nd time seeing Lazio
• The total number of times I've seen Celtic take on Italian opponents in Europe (UEFA competitions) is nine
• Total number of Champion League group stage matches attended is 65 (with 54 at Celtic Park)

Match Report: LINK

MATCH 1824 - Tuesday 10 December 2019

 SEASON 2019/20

Group Stage

Venue:  SAN SIRO

INTER MILAN  1  BARCELONA  2

Scorers:  Lukaku;  Perez; Fati

Fantastic trip to Milan and the magnificent San Siro Stadium, to watch two of the biggest clubs in European football.

       

The end of the match and the final view of the stunning San Siro 

MATCH 1816 - Thursday 24 October 2019

SEASON 2019/20

Group Stage

CELTIC  2  LAZIO  1

Scorers:  Christie, Jullien;  Lazzari

A memorable night in Europe for Celtic as a last gasp header from Frenchman Christopher Jullien gives them victory over Italian's Lazio and sparks huge celebrations.

Despite a fine night for Fraser Forster Lazio took the lead in the second half but Ryan Christie scored to put the sides level before the fantastic ending to another huge European night under the lights of Celtic Park.

Jullien savours his moment with the ecstatic fans.

MATCH 1805 - Sunday 4 August 2019

SEASON 2019/20

INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONS CUP

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR  1  INTER MILAN  1

(Inter win 4-3 on penalties)

Scorers: Lucas Moura;  Sensi

A glamour friendly under the title of the International Champions Cup and a chance to visit the newest and possibly grandest stadium in the UK, The TottenhamHotspur Stadium.