At the start of the 1981–82 season, Luigi Radice, a former AC Milan player in the 1950s and 1960s, was hired as coach; among the new signings were those of playmaker Adelio Moro, coming from Ascoli, and Scottish centre-forward Joe Jordan from Manchester United. Milan struggles begun immediately, with misunderstandings between a coach with somewhat rough methods and players with little character. Franco Baresi's long absence due to a rare blood disease precipitated the situation. The team never left the relegation zone, the players seemed apathetic, and not even the open protests of the fans helped shaking them. Everything was tried, from the change of president (from Gaetano Morazzoni to Giuseppe Farina in January 1982) and coach (from Radice to Galbiati) to the unusual one of the captain (from Aldo Maldera to Fulvio Collovati), with few results. In the last five league games, however, with 8 points out of 10 available, Milan attempted a desperate comeback. At the final whistle of the last match, won 3–2 by Milan against Cesena), the team was virtually safe, but the last minutes of the Napoli-Genoa match were still being played in Naples; as a consequence of a sensational mistake by the Neapolitan goalkeeper Castellini, Genoa equalized, condemning Milan to their second relegation.[2] Four days before, on 12 May 1982 at San Siro, beating the Czechoslovakian side Vitkovice 3–0, Milan won the Mitropa Cup.[3]
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.
