02-02-2017, 10:53 PM
(This post was last modified: 02-02-2017, 10:54 PM by xudong.)
I read this on Facebook (then on ACmilan.com), and wasn't sure which thread it should belong.
Old-guard? Injury? (Mis)management?
The bolded part just struck me (without surprising me) that apparently, 48 billion liras was deemed too much for a 21-year-old Gerard who was up and rising at that time, but 35 billion liras was not too much for a 35-year-old Redondo, who ended up spending 2 and half years on the injury bed and played 16 games in total for Milan before retiring from soccer totally.
... and Galliani still seems really proud of this deal. 
Quote:02 February 2017
#TBT: REDONDO, A LORD OF FOOTBALL
From Lake Geneva to resurrection: 14 years ago, Fernando Redondo was in the red&black starting XI for the first time
1999-2000 season: Deportivo La Coruna won the Liga, Gerard's Valencia and Rivaldo's Barcelona both finished in second place and Redondo's Real Madrid ended up fifth and all teams were very close in points.
In the summer of 2000, the three above mentioned champions were targets of AC Milan's market, as the team was getting ready for the 2000/01 Champions League Play-off round.
WHAT HAPPENED DURING THE SUMMER OF 2000
Adriano Galliani's first target was Valencia's talented midfielder Gerard Lopez, coached by Hector Cuper. That team featured many interesting players, such as Mendieta, Farinos, and Claudio "El Piojo" Lopez, but Gerard was the most desired by the top teams. His price though, 48 billions of Italian liras, prevented Milan from signing the player, who moved to Barcelona. Two weeks later, AC Milan signed for 35 billions of Italian liras the 35 years old Fernando Redondo. Redondo, just two months earlier, made a spectacular dribbling playing the ball around Henning Berg with a back heel in the Manchester United-Real Madrid clash at the Old Trafford Stadium.
The match ended 2-3 for the merengues, also thanks to the goal scored by Raul, thanks to Redondo's assist.
Recently, on Milan TV, Adriano Galliani revealed that around that time he skipped a friendly match between AC Milan and Real Madrid to try and sign Rivaldo too. But the brazilian player couldn't leave Barcelona: he moved to AC Milan two years later, just in time to play a few matches along Redondo. Adriano Galliani and Ariedo Braida led the final phase of Redondo’s negotiation during the summer of 2000, at Lake Lemano, in Switzerland, near Geneve.
REDONDO AND THE "LETHAL" TREADMILL
So many urban legends. So many nicknames, like "the Argentinian made of crystal".
Some people stated that when he joined AC Milan he was already injured; others think that it was just bad luck. During his first training after his signing with the Rossoneri, Fernando injured his knee, apparently on a treadmill in the gym of Milanello. At first they thought he could be treated through conservative therapies, but then he was forced to go under the knife in October 2000. He was supposed to miss 6 months, but his recovery was longer than he had expected. A year later Redondo was still not fit to play, and spontaneously chose to forego his salary. When everyone thought his career was over he came back in great fashion, winning the 2003 Champions League with AC Milan, in Manchester.
FEBRUARY 2, 2003: REDONDO IS BACK!
February 2nd 2003, fifteen years ago today: for the first time Redondo is in the red&black starting XI in a Serie A match. It was a Sunday afternoon, Pirlo and Inzaghi's goals granted the victory to the Rossoneri, with a final score of 2-1 over Modena. The Argentinian champion already made his debut with the red and black jersey two months before, in a Coppa Italia match against Ancona. The greatest celebration, though, happened in a Milan-Roma clash on December 7th 2002: with two minutes left before the final whistle, San Siro gave him a standing ovation. After the Milan-Modena match, Redondo played many Champions League clashes. He played the whole match in Moscow against Lokomotiv, against "his" Real Madrid at the Bernabeu Stadium and at San Siro against Borussia Dortmund; he was subbed in against Ajax at San Siro and against Inter in the first leg of the semi-final. Redondo bade his farewell to the red and black fans at San Siro, cheered and applauded at the end of the match against Brescia on May 16th 2004, when the team celebrated its 17th Scudetto.
![[Image: 16997889_1032959136810567_2115105666082275905_n.jpg]](https://s3.postimg.org/r2m8vd3xv/16997889_1032959136810567_2115105666082275905_n.jpg)
What an achievement! 
Great work, and what a way to celebrate yesterday.
Can you guys guess which former Milan player is this 
![[Image: VeCr0BL.png]](http://i.imgur.com/VeCr0BL.png)
You got me. I spent ages trying to figure it out and can't even think of a possible candidate
It was nice to see Baresi use words like optimism instead of doubts. As I tweeted on the MM account one does expect nicer words when an interview is given to the official site so I didnt really think Baresi would be negative but still I am not happy with Maldini, may be just me.
I also have no idea who that is Stitch
(05-08-2017, 04:46 PM)Stitch Wrote: Can you guys guess which former Milan player is this
Il grande Muntari!
Speaking of Old Guards, Gattuso's Pisa got relegated to Lega Pro even though they have the best defensive record in the league.
|
