Deadly mission: Will Milan lose a championship in Verona again? | Israel today

Inter's 2: 4 victory over Ampoli on Friday obliges Milan to beat Verona tonight to return to first place with two rounds left at the end of the season.

Apparently, Rossoneri does not have much cause for concern - Verona is ranked ninth and is not fighting for anything - but it is not the present that bothers Milan, but history: Twice in the past Milan have reached the final rounds of the season at the Marcantonio Stadium in Verona's Nantogodi, and twice lost a championship there.

These games gave birth to the nickname "Fatal Verona" (Fatal Verona), and the fear is that it will happen again.

The first case was in the 1972/73 season.

Cesare Maldini was then appointed team coach, and with captain Gianni Rivera Milan's goal was a championship.

Despite a small bump in the road that included a four-game ban from Rivera, the Rossoneri reached the final rounds from first place, and at the same time the team reached the cup final for cup winners against Leeds United.

Knowing that only four days separate the European final in Thessaloniki and the final round in Italy, AC Milan requested a postponement of the game in Verona, but the league did not approve.

And so, after a 0-1 victory and winning the European title, the Rossoneri reached the final round in Verona exhausted and tired and without the sick coach Maldini.

His place, by the way, was taken by his young assistant Giovanni Traptoni.

All of this was not supposed to affect against Verona who have already been relegated, but the game gets underway and the surprise comes immediately.

In 29 minutes Verona wins three times, and eventually wins 3: 5.

At the same time, Juventus are lagging behind to beat Rome and win their 15th championship.

Verona players celebrate.

Will the Rossoneri ruin the dream ?, Photo: EPI

17 years later, in the 1989/1990 season, the story repeated itself.

With Arigo Saki on the lines, Milan dreamed of Treble reaching the Champions Cup final, the Italian Cup final and the final rounds of the league as it is close to Napoli.

Two rounds to the end of the season, with a point advantage over Diego Maradona's team, Milan once again went out to Bentengodi to meet Verona, who this time too was below the red line.

The injured Carlo Ancelotti was absent, and at the same time the two Marco opened - Van Basten and Simona.

The Italian still gave Milan 0: 1, but after the goal Verona woke up.

Sotomayor equalized in the 63rd minute, and after Van Basten and Frank Rijkaard were sent off in the red, Pellegrini turned the score around in the 89th minute.

Milan will end the game with eight players following another red for Costcourt and with a 2: 1 loss.

Napoli took advantage of this, winning the last two rounds and celebrating a championship.

"These players were able to recreate something that happened 17 years ago," said coach Verona Osvaldo Benioli, but it did not help his team relegated.

Milan contented themselves with winning the Champions Cup, but the scar created by Verona remains to this day, and especially tonight.

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