1972–73 AC Milan season

During the 1972–1973 season Milan Associazione Calcio competed in Serie A, Coppa Italia and Cup Winners' Cup.

Milan Associazione Calcio
1972–73 season
PresidentAlbino Buticchi
ManagerCesare Maldini (with Nereo Rocco as technical director)
StadiumSan Siro
Serie A
Coppa ItaliaWinners
Cup Winners' CupWinners
Top goalscorerLeague: Gianni Rivera (17)
All: Luciano Chiarugi (22)
Average home league attendance53,977[1]

Summary

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In July 1972, Albino Buticchi became the new Milan president, while Nereo Rocco assumed the role of technical director, with Cesare Maldini as coach. The new signings during the summer transfer market were Luciano Chiarugi, Dario Dolci and Maurizio Turone. In autumn 1972, after five years and 183 games with the Rossoneri, goalkeeper Fabio Cudicini, already out for some kidney problems, ended his career, and was replaced by Villiam Vecchi.[2]

In the league, Milan suffered only tw defeats in the first half of the season, and concluded in first position, with 22 points, as many as those scored by Juventus, also thanks to the contribution of a prolific attacking play. In the end 65 were the goals scored, with an average of more than two per game. Memorable was the 9–3 inflicted to Atalanta on 15 October 1972. The match against Atalanta still holds the record for most goals scored in a Serie A game.[3] Rossoneri and Bianconeri continued side by side at the top of the standings until the 20th round, when Juventus lost the derby with Torino while Milan beat Lanerossi Vicenza, thus gaining 2 points over the Bianconeri. In March, Milan even had a three-point lead over their competitors, then reduced to one due to the defeat on 22 April at the Stadio Olimpico against Lazio, with a goal disallowed to Chiarugi by referee Concetto Lo Bello and the subsequent sending-off of Rocco for protesting.[4] On the eve of the last matchday Milan lead the standings with 44 points ahead of Juventus and Lazio, paired at 43 points. Milan, who had played the Cup Winners' Cup final a few days earlier, had to face Verona away, who beat the Rossoneri 5–3.[5] Lazio lost in the final in Naples and Juventus was drawing against Roma, but a few minutes to the end Antonello Cuccureddu scored the winning goal that gave the Bianconeri the scudetto.[6] Milan thus closed the championship in second place, and this episode was nicknamed the Fatal Verona. Milan captain Gianni Rivera was the top scorer of the competition, with 17 goals, tied with Paolo Pulici and Giuseppe Savoldi.

In the Cup Winners' Cup, Milan qualified to the final after eliminating Red Boys Differdange from Luxembourg in the round of 32 (4–1 victory in the first leg in Differdange and 3–0 in the second leg in Milan), in the round of 16 knocking out the Poles of Legia Warsaw (1–1 in Warsaw and 2–1 victory after extra time at San Siro), in the quarter-finals the Soviets from Spartak Moscow (1–0 victory in Sochi and 1–1 draw in Milan) and in the semi-final the Czechoslovakian side Sparta Prague (two 1–0 victories). In the final in Thessaloniki on 16 May 1973, Milan faced the English side of Leeds United and won the match thanks to a free-kick scored at the third minute by Chiarugi, who became the top scorer of the tournament with 7 goals. It was the second Cup Winners' Cup won by the Rossoneri.

The season ended with the Coppa Italia, where Milan, as holder of the trophy, started directly from the second round. They ended group B, which also includes Atalanta, Cagliari and Napoli, in first place with 10 points from five wins and one defeat, and qualified for the final on 1 July 1973 at the Olimpico of Rome against Juventus. About a month after the Fatal Verona, Milan took revenge by beating Juventus at the penalty shoot-outs, thus winning their third national cup. The match ended 1–1 after extra time (in the first half, Romeo Benetti responded to Juventus' goal by Roberto Bettega from a penalty kick). At the penalty shoot-outs, Schnellinger, again Benetti, Chiarugi, Biasiolo and Magherini scored, while the Bianconeri missed three out of five shots, setting the score at 5–2 for Milan.

Squad

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Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
GK   ITA Pierangelo Belli
GK   ITA Fabio Cudicini
GK   ITA Villiam Vecchi
GK   ITA Renato Marson
DF   ITA Angelo Anquilletti
DF   ITA Giulio Zignoli
DF   ITA Dario Dolci
DF   ITA Roberto Rosato
DF   ITA Maurizio Turone
DF   ITA Giuseppe Sabadini
DF   GER Karl-Heinz Schnellinger (vice-captain)
MF   ITA Roberto Casone
No. Pos. Nation Player
MF   ITA Romeo Benetti
MF   ITA Giorgio Biasiolo
MF   ITA Guido Magherini
MF   ITA Gianni Rivera (Captain)
MF   ITA Riccardo Sogliano
FW   ITA Luciano Chiarugi
FW   ITA Lino Golin
FW   ITA Alberto Bigon
FW   ITA Pierino Prati
FW   ITA Silvano Villa
FW   ITA Carlo Tresoldi
FW   ITA Graziano Gori

Transfers

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In
Pos. Name from Type
DF Dario Dolci Varese
DF Maurizio Turone Genoa
MF Roberto Casone Sampdoria loan end
FW Luciano Chiarugi Fiorentina
Out
Pos. Name To Type
DF Aldo Maldera Bologna loan
DF Luciano Monticolo Catanzaro
MF Pier Paolo Scarrone Genoa
MF Vincenzo Zazzaro Lecco loan
FW Silvano Villa Sampdoria loan
GK Fabio Cudicini career end

Competitions

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Serie A

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League table

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Juventus (C) 30 18 9 3 45 22 +23 45 Qualification to European Cup
2 Milan 30 18 8 4 65 33 +32 44 Qualification to Cup Winners' Cup
3 Lazio 30 16 11 3 33 16 +17 43 Qualification to UEFA Cup
4 Fiorentina 30 16 5 9 39 26 +13 37
5 Internazionale 30 15 7 8 32 23 +9 37
Source: Panini
(C) Champions

Matches

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24 September 1972 1 Milan 4–0 Palermo Milano
Rivera   19' (pen.), 31'
Chiarugi   44'
Prati   85'
Report Stadium: Stadio San Siro
Attendance: 47,682
Referee: Barbaresco
1 October 1972 2 Ternana 0–0 Milan Terni
Report Stadium: Stadio Libero Liberati
Attendance: 30,949
Referee: Monti
15 October 1972 3 Milan 9–3 Atalanta Milano
Prati   16', 55', 90'
Bigon   30', 64'
Rivera   35', 52'
Benetti   40'
Chiarugi   50'
Report   33' Divina
  54' Ghio
  88' Carelli
Stadium: Stadio San Siro
Attendance: 47,316
Referee: Giunti
29 October 1972 4 Juventus 2–2 Milan Torino
Salvadore   70'
Causio   75'
Report   32' Bigon
  76' Rivera
Stadium: Stadio Comunale
Attendance: 65,818
Referee: Pieroni
5 November 1972 5 Milan 2–0 Lanerossi Vicenza Milano
Biasiolo   28'
Rivera   87' (pen.)
Report Stadium: Stadio San Siro
Attendance: 39,327
Referee: Trinchieri
12 November 1972 6 Fiorentina 3–1 Milan Firenze
Longoni   20'
Clerici   39'
Caso   49'
Report   4' Prati Stadium: Stadio Comunale
Attendance: 43,412
Referee: Lo Bello
19 November 1972 7 Milan 3–2 Inter Milano
Prati   23'
Rosato   31'
Benetti   52'
Report   74' Oriali
  77' Boninsegna
Stadium: Stadio San Siro
Attendance: 80,028
Referee: Angonese
26 November 1972 8 Roma 0–0 Milan Roma
Report Stadium: Stadio Olimpico
Attendance: 63,342
Referee: Toselli
3 December 1972 9 Milan 3–1 Sampdoria Milano
Benetti   30'
Chiarugi   40'
Sogliano   69'
Report   23' Salvi Stadium: Stadio San Siro
Attendance: 30,675
Referee: Trono
10 December 1972 10 Cagliari 0–1 Milan Cagliari
Report   57' Bigon Stadium: Stadio Sant'Elia
Attendance: 33,073
Referee: Pieroni
17 December 1973 11[7] Milan 3–1 Lazio Milano
Chiarugi   45'
Bigon   48'
Benetti   72'
Report   9' (og) Rosato Stadium: Stadio San Siro
Attendance: 28,373
Referee: Lo Bello
24 December 1972 12 Napoli 0–0 Milan Napoli
Report Stadium: Stadio San Paolo
Attendance: 55,024
Referee: Lo Bello
30 December 1972 13 Milan 1–0 Torino Milano
Rivera   87' Report Stadium: Stadio San Siro
Attendance: 37,988
Referee: Francescon
7 January 1973 14 Bologna 3–2 Milan Bologna
Ghetti   4'
Savoldi   27' (pen.)
Novellini   42'
Report   60' (pen.) Rivera
  87' Chiarugi
Stadium: Stadio Comunale
Attendance: 41,893
Referee: Serafino
21 January 1973 15 Milan 2–1 Verona Milano
Chiarugi   15', 53' Report   90' (pen.) Mascetti Stadium: Stadio San Siro
Attendance: 34,270
Referee: Ciacci
28 January 1973 16 Palermo 0–1 Milan Palermo
Report   80' (pen.) Rivera Stadium: Stadio La Favorita
Attendance: 17,066
Referee: Menegali
4 February 1973 17 Milan 3–1 Ternana Milano
Benatti   11' (og)
Rivera   16'
Chiarugi   66'
Report   90' (pen.) Cardillo Stadium: Stadio San Siro
Attendance: 45,899
Referee: Trinchieri
11 February 1973 18 Atalanta 1–1 Milan Bergamo
Pellizzaro   43' (pen.) Report   35' Chiarugi Stadium: Stadio Comunale
Attendance: 31,575
Referee: Barbaresco
18 February 1973 19 Milan 2–2 Juventus Milano
Rivera   44' (pen.)
Biasiolo   85'
Report   12' Bettega
  50' Marchetti
Stadium: Stadio San Siro
Attendance: 80,500
Referee: Pieroni
4 March 1973 20 Lanerossi Vicenza 0–3 Milan Vicenza
Report   29' Rivera
  43' Chiarugi
  70' Biasiolo
Stadium: Stadio Romeo Menti
Attendance: 29,269
Referee: Monti
11 March 1973 21 Milan 2–0 Fiorentina Milano
Benetti   72', 85' Report Stadium: Stadio San Siro
Attendance: 64,777
Referee: Francescon
18 March 1973 22 Inter 0–2 Milan Milano
Report   39' Sabadini
  90' Benetti
Stadium: Stadio San Siro
Attendance: 80,637
Referee: Lattanzi
25 March 1973 23 Milan 3–1 Roma Milano
Bigon   35'
Rivera   52', 85' (pen.)
Report   83' Morini Stadium: Stadio San Siro
Attendance: 55,838
Referee: Barbaresco
8 April 1973 24 Sampdoria 1–4 Milan Genova
Salvi   21' Report   6' Rivera
  26', 68' Bigon
  48' Biasiolo
Stadium: Stadio Luigi Ferraris
Attendance: 36,943
Referee: Gonella
15 April 1973 25 Milan 1–1 Cagliari Milano
Rivera   81' (pen.) Report   50' Brugnera Stadium: Stadio San Siro
Attendance: 57,923
Referee: Francescon
21 April 1973 26 Lazio 2–1 Milan Roma
Schnellinger   5' (og)
Chinaglia   35'
Report   56' Rivera Stadium: Stadio Olimpico
Attendance: 70,403
Referee: Lo Bello
29 April 1973 27 Milan 1–0 Napoli Milano
Chiarugi   90' Report Stadium: Stadio San Siro
Attendance: 55,927
Referee: Monti
6 May 1973 28 Torino 2–2 Milan Torino
Pulici   21' (pen.)
Bui   24'
Report   49' Chiarugi
  81' Sabadini
Stadium: Stadio Comunale
Attendance: 58,032
Referee: Angonese
13 May 1973 29 Milan 3–1 Bologna Milano
Sogliano   12'
Sabadini   56'
Bigon   69'
Report   86' (og) Zignoli Stadium: Stadio San Siro
Attendance: 81,280
Referee: Barbaresco
20 May 1973 30 Verona 5–3 Milan Verona
Sirena   17'
Sabadini   25' (og)
Luppi   29', 70'
Turone   72' (og)
Report   32' Rosato
  81' Sabadini
  90' Bigon
Stadium: Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi
Attendance: 40,049
Referee: Monti

Coppa Italia

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Second round – Group B

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26 May 1973 1 Atalanta 0–2 Milan Bergamo
  1' Chiarugi
  15' Bigon
Stadium: Stadio Comunale
Attendance: 9,969
Referee: Panzino
3 June 1973 2 Milan 0–1 Cagliari Milano
  65' Riva Stadium: Stadio San Siro
Attendance: 18,939
Referee: Angonese
17 June 1973 3 Napoli 0–2 Milan Napoli
  8', 81' Chiarugi Stadium: Stadio San Paolo
Attendance: 37,500
Referee: Gialluisi
20 June 1973 4 Milan 1–0 Atalanta Milano
Pirola   34' (og) Stadium: Stadio San Siro
Attendance: 9,845
Referee: Mascali
24 June 1973 5 Cagliari 0–1 Milan Cagliari
  71' Rivera Stadium: Stadio Sant'Elia
Attendance: 5,000
Referee: Lattanzi
27 June 1973 6 Milan 2–0 Napoli Milano
Rivera   18', 33' (pen.) Stadium: Stadio San Siro
Attendance: 7,000
Referee: Trinchieri

Final

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1 July 1973 Milan 1–1 (a.e.t.)
(5–2 p)
Juventus Roma
Benetti   40' (pen.)   15' Bettega Stadium: Stadio Olimpico
Attendance: 49,663
Referee: Angonese
Penalties
Schnellinger  
Benetti  
Chiarugi  
Biasiolo  
Magherini  
  Causio
  Anastasi
  Bettega
  Spinosi
  Cuccureddu

Cup Winners' Cup

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Round of 32

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6 September 1972 1 Red Boys Differdange 1–4 Milan Differdange
Klein   90'   4', 17' Prati
  19' Golin
  83' Chiarugi
Stadium: Stade du Thillenberg
Attendance: 8,200
Referee: Wurtz
27 September 1972 2 Milan 3–0 Red Boys Differdange Milano
Chiarugi   4', 66'
Benetti   33'
Stadium: Stadio San Siro
Attendance: 15,000
Referee: Casha

Round of 16

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25 October 1972 1 Legia Varsavia 1–1 Milan Varsavia
Deyna   79'   75' Golin Stadium: Stadion Dziesięciolecia
Attendance: 52,500
Referee: Michas
8 November 1972 2 Milan 2–1 (a.e.t.) Legia Varsavia Milano
Zignoli   10'
Chiarugi   118'
  44' Pieszko Stadium: Stadio San Siro
Attendance: 8,770
Referee: Tschenscher

Quarterfinals

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7 March 1973 1 Spartak Mosca 0–1 Milan Soči
  62' Benetti Stadium: Central'nyj stadion
Attendance: 12,000
Referee: Taylor
21 March 1973 2 Milan 1–1 Spartak Mosca Milano
Bigon   2'   7' Piskarëv Stadium: Stadio San Siro
Attendance: 25,829
Referee: Gugulović

Semifinals

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11 April 1973 1 Milan 1–0 Sparta Praga Milano
Chiarugi   68' Stadium: Stadio San Siro
Attendance: 35,433
Referee: Paterson
25 April 1973 2 Sparta Praga 0–1 Milan Praga
  73' Chiarugi Stadium: Stadion Letná
Attendance: 40,000
Referee: Sánchez

Final

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16 May 1973 Milan 1–0 Leeds Salonicco
Chiarugi   3' Stadium: Stadio Kaftanzogleio
Attendance: 40,154
Referee: Michas

Statistics

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Squad statistics

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Competition[8] Points Home Away Total GD
G W D L Gs Ga G W D L Gs Ga G W D L Gs Ga
1972-73 Serie A 44 15 13 2 0 42 14 15 5 6 4 26 19 30 18 8 4 65 33 +32
1972-73 Coppa Italia 3 2 0 1 3 1 3 3 0 0 5 0 7[9] 5 1 1 9 2 +7
1972–73 Cup Winners' Cup 4 3 1 0 7 2 4 3 1 0 7 2 9[10] 7 2 0 15 4 +11
Total 22 18 3 1 52 17 22 11 7 4 35 21 46 30 11 5 89 39 +50

Players statistics

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No. Pos Nat Player Total Serie A Coppa Italia Cup Winners' Cup
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
DF   ITA Angelo Anquilletti 41 0 28 0 5 0 8 0
DF   ITA Dario Dolci 22 0 11 0 4 0 7 0
GK   ITA Pierangelo Belli 18 -19 13 -16 0 -0 5 -3
MF   ITA Giuseppe Sabadini 34 4 23 4 5 0 6 0
GK   ITA Fabio Cudicini 0 0 0 -0 0 -0 0 -0
MF   ITA Giorgio Biasiolo 34 4 22 4 5 0 7 0
MF   ITA Guido Magherini 10 0 2 0 5 0 3 0
FW   ITA Lino Golin 14 2 5 0 3 0 6 2
GK   ITA Renato Marson 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
FW   ITA Alberto Bigon 43 12 28 10 7 1 8 1
FW   ITA Graziano Gori 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0
DF   ITA Romeo Benetti 43 10 29 7 7 1 7 2
MF   ITA Roberto Rosato 38 2 25 2 7 0 6 0
DF   ITA Giulio Zignoli 29 1 15 0 7 0 7 1
FW   ITA Pierino Prati 21 8 17 6 0 0 4 2
MF   ITA Gianni Rivera 43 20 28 17 6 3 9 0
DF   ITA Maurizio Turone 24 0 15 0 4 0 5 0
FW   ITA Luciano Chiarugi 40 22 27 12 5 3 8 7
DF   GER Karl-Heinz Schnellinger 41 0 28 0 6 0 7 0
MF   ITA Riccardo Sogliano 22 2 17 2 1 0 4 0
MF   ITA Roberto Casone 6 0 1 0 4 0 1 0
FW   ITA Carlo Tresoldi 2 0 1 0 0 0 1 0
GK   ITA Villiam Vecchi 30 -20 19 -17 7 -2 4 -1

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Attendance Statistics of Serie A". stadiapostcards.com. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
  2. ^ "Calciomercato Milan 1972–73". magliarossonera.it (in Italian). Retrieved 26 May 2023.
  3. ^ "Una partita incredibile: 15/10/72 Milan-Atalanta 9–3, ricordi indelebili di un record mai battuto". tribuna.com (in Italian). Retrieved 26 May 2023.
  4. ^ "Lo Bello, Rocco, Rivera e quell'indimenticabile Lazio-Milan del 1973". gazzetta.it (in Italian). Retrieved 26 May 2023.
  5. ^ "Il Milan è stato tradito dalla fatica di Salonicco" (PDF). archiviostorico.unita.it (in Italian). Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 February 2014. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
  6. ^ "Prima Altafini (200 gol) poi Cuccureddu (all'86')" (PDF). archiviostorico.unita.it (in Italian). Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 February 2014. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
  7. ^ Game suspended due to fog at the 81st minute on a 1–0 score.
  8. ^ "Milan Associazione Calcio 1972–73". magliarossonera.it. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
  9. ^ Included the final, played in Rome.
  10. ^ Included the final, played in Thessaloniki.
  11. ^ "Milan Associazione Calcio 1972–73". magliarossonera.it. Retrieved 26 May 2023.

Bibliography

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  • Almanacco illustrato del Milan, ed: 2, March 2005. Panini.
  • Enrico Tosi. La storia del Milan, May 2005. Italia/Italy cid Tosi.
  • Milan. Sempre con te, December 2009. Mondadori. 2009. ISBN 978-88-04-59118-4.
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