Written by Dave Black
Hello! Welcome back to Mid 90s Milan. This is the penultimate episode as we’re about to enter the month of April. The business end of the season will see us look to push on towards the Serie A title whilst competing in the latter stages of the Coppa Italia and the Champions League. Here’s how the table looks:
Fresh from getting the manager of the month award for March, we welcome Bologna to the San Siro. They’re missing star man Kennett Andersson so it’s Igor Kolyvanov up front. Who you ask? This Russian striker won’t be on many people’s radars but he was a star man for my all conquering Coventry team in play by mail in the 90s. This one goes out to you, KJC Games.
Oh, the game. It’s dull. We’re sort of lucky to get a 0-0 draw. Not ideal but when news filters through that Juventus have lost at home to Atalanta it’s a good day afterall.
Time for a famous Thursday night as Bayern Munich roll into town for a Champions League semi final. We’ve got an immediate break – both of their goalkeepers are banned so Rizzitelli the striker is in goal. That’s got to help.
It’s an impressive squad but having a striker in goal will undermine it somewhat.
Rizzitelli makes a few saves early on but eventually Boban scores and Savicevic heads a second. Thomas Struntz takes over in goal and makes more saves than Rossi, who is beaten by Christian Ziege. We win 5-1, it probably should have been more but either way, I think we’ll be in the final.
From Thursday night frolics it’s back to the Sunday shift. Juventus conquerors Atalanta provide the opposition but we have none of the problems our rivals did. Future Juventus man Filippo Inzaghi scored twice in that game but he has a much quieter day here and we win 4-1. Baggio’s free kick in the first minute set the tone for the day and despite a brief setback, it’s an easy win.
It’s another few weeks out for Costacurta. Baresi’s old limbs will have to keep going.
The Coppa Italia final is over two legs. That’s really annoying. Anyway, Brescia are 17th in Serie B and really shouldn’t be in the final. They have a great banter squad though, including flying left winger Andrea Pirlo, a defender called Manfred Binz and Bismarck. What I like about Bismarck is that he simply signed from the J League. No details given.
Yes, he was named after Otto von Bismarck (according to Wiki). He’s actually got caps for Brazil and never played club football in Europe.
The game itself you ask? Routine. One hand on the cup.
Back to league action now and Napoli are our visitors. They’re 8th and bang average. Weah opens the scoring and although Napoli level for three minutes, Desailly converts a penalty. I don’t know why the computer chooses him for the pens, it’s not a manager choice (which is stupid).
9 points clear with four games to go. I like those odds.
Off to Munich now then and Bayern’s two goalkeepers are still banned. For goodness sake lads. Rizzo starts in goal but Struntz and Helmer both take stints in goal. Weah takes matters into his own hands and plunders a hat-trick and although Bayern show admirable courage, they never look likely to overturn a huge deficit. We’re in the final!
Man Utd gave Ajax a good thrashing too. They’ll be a tough opponent in the final for sure, Cantona is averaging 8.88 in European matches which is quite fearsome.
It doesn’t tell me where the final will be played other than it being a neutral venue. That rules two stadiums out at least.
That seems like a good place to finish. We’re well set for the treble. We’re odds on for two parts of that and then there’s the Champions League. Here’s the table:
I’ll be back next week to draw a line under what has been quite a successful journey. How did Milan make such a mess of things with this squad? It turns out everything is easier on Championship Manager. See you next week!