The sliding door of Stefano Ferrari, who was supposed to make his debut for Milan exactly 40 years ago only to then give way to Paolo: “The coach didn’t make a mistake, a very right choice, but a few minutes he could have made me do it. It was the opportunity of a lifetime, I wasted it. Di Bartolomei invited me home, I marked Zico in a friendly, then I played in C with Allegri in Livorno”
He was number 14, but he wasn’t Johan Cruijff. “That day in Udine it was freezing cold. Plus, if I remember correctly, before the game Verza, Evani and I got stuck in the hotel elevator. I’m also a bit claustrophobic, you know?”. That day in Udine was Sunday 20 January 1985, forty years ago. Milan were decimated by injuries and suspensions and Sergio Battistini also raised the white flag at half-time. ‘Iron, warm up!’ Liedholm told me. And then he brought in Paolo Maldini. But the Baron wasn’t wrong, eh. Very right choice.”