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Milan Associazione Calcio

1972–73 season
President	Albino Buticchi
Manager	Cesare Maldini (with Nereo Rocco as technical director)
Stadium	San Siro
Serie A	2º
Coppa Italia	Winners
Cup Winners' Cup	Winners
Top goalscorer	League: Gianni Rivera (17) All: Luciano Chiarugi (22)
Average home league attendance	53,977
Home colours Away colours
← 1971–721973–74 →

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

Summary

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.

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. 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. 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. 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. 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

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. 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

Competitions

Serie A

League table

Matches

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

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

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	Milan	3–1	Lazio	Milano
	Chiarugi 45' Bigon 48' Benetti 72'	Report	9' (o.g.) Rosato	Stadium: Stadio San Siro Attendance: 28,373 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' (o.g.) 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' (o.g.) 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' (o.g.) Zignoli	Stadium: Stadio San Siro Attendance: 81,280 Referee: Barbaresco

20 May 1973 30	Verona	5–3	Milan	Verona
	Sirena 17' Sabadini 25' (o.g.) Luppi 29', 70' Turone 72' (o.g.)	Report	32' Rosato 81' Sabadini 90' Bigon	Stadium: Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi Attendance: 40,049 Referee: Monti

Coppa Italia

Second round – Group B

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' (o.g.)			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

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

Round of 32

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

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

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

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

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

Statistics

Squad statistics

Players statistics

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

• Source:

See also

• A.C. Milan

References

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

• 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.

External links

• "Stagione 1972-1973". Magliarossonera.it.

• AC Milan seasons
• Italian football clubs 1972–73 season
• UEFA Cup Winners' Cup–winning seasons