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

MATCH 1534 - Tuesday, 26 November 2013

Season:  2013/14

 

Group match - day 5

Venue:  CELTIC PARK

 

CELTIC    0     MILAN    3

Scorers: Kaka, Zapata, Balotelli

 

Great performance from Milan and a terrific atmosphere throughout.  After scoring a simple headed goal early in the game the confidence flowed through the side and they looked once again a seasoned Champions League team.  Unfortunately for Celtic the great Kaka of old turned up and gave a wonderful performance.  When he ran at the Celtic defence he was like a locomotive train.

 

Personal note: 6th occasion seeing Milan all in Champions League but only their second win.