1972/73: Milan's case for the defence
Friday 1 June 1973
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Coach Nereo Rocco mastermined Milan's win against Leeds (©Getty Images)
AC Milan 1-0 Leeds United AFC
Kaftadzogleio Stadium, Salonika
Milan AC became the first club to win the trophy twice by conceding only four goals in nine games, underlining how firm a grip 'safety-first' defensive policies had taken on the game. Nereo Rocco's side conceded only one goal in the last five games of the campaign and scored one in each. Only one key player – Gianni Rivera – remained from the 1968 title-winners.
Plans disrupted
Don Revie's Leeds United AFC team were also labelled a tough, uncompromising, thoroughly professional outfit. Their attacking play hinged on the midfield combination of Scottish terrier Billy Bremner and the gifted Irishman Johnny Giles, chief supplier to the mobile, skilful attacker Allan Clarke. Sadly for the English team, all three missed the final either through suspension or injury. In four semi-final games which produced three goals, Leeds scraped past HNK Hajduk Split and the Italian side past AC Sparta Praha.
Match to forget
The match was not a pretty sight. To quote from the book which UEFA published to commemorate its 25th birthday, "the only bright spot in the final…in the uncovered stadium of Salonika in Greece was when the two teams marched in together carrying the white flag of UEFA". Milan took the lead after four minutes when left-winger Luciano Chiarugi bent a free-kick round the Leeds’ wall. They then opted for catenaccio tactics for the remaining foul-littered 86 minutes during which Leeds failed to pierce the Italian rearguard. To complete an unhappy evening for the 40,154 spectators, they were drenched by a violent thunderstorm.
| Milan AC - Leeds United AFC | 1 - 0 |
| Stage | Final |
| Half-Time | 1 - 0 |
| Date | 16.05.1973 |
| Kick-Off | 19:15:00 |
| Venue | Kaftadzogleio |
| City/Town | Salonika |
| Attendance | 40,154 |
| Referee | MICHAS Hristos (GRE) |
| Match Report | |||||
 | 4' | CHIARUGI Luciano | |||
 | 54' | GRAY Frank (out) / McQUEEN Gordon (in) | |||
| 59' | ROSATO Roberto (out) / DOLCI Dario (in) | |||
| Team Line-Ups | |
| Milan AC | Leeds United AFC |
| VECCHI William | HARVEY David |
| SABADINI Giuseppe | REANEY Paul |
| ANQUILLETTI Angelo | MADELEY Paul |
| ROSATO Roberto | CHERRY Trevor |
| ZIGNOLI Giulio | GRAY Frank |
| TURONE Maurizio | BATES Mick |
| SOGLIANO Riccardo | HUNTER Norman |
| RIVERA Gianni (C) | JONES Mick |
| BENETTI Romeo | YORATH Terry |
| BIGON Albertino | LORIMER Peter |
| CHIARUGI Luciano | JORDAN Joe |
| Used Substitutes | |
| DOLCI Dario | McQUEEN Gordon |
| Head Coach | |
| ROCCO Nereo | REVIE Don |
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