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Peter Fitzpatrick·28 maggio 2025
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Peter Fitzpatrick·28 maggio 2025
While Juventus are the undisputed kings of the domestic game, they have never been able to match up to Milan in Europe.
On this day in 2003, the Rossoneri reminded the Old Lady of this in the most dramatic fashion at Old Trafford.
In what was the first and only all-Italian Champions League final to date, it lived up to the billing with no goals after 120 minutes due to brilliant defending, as well as some wonderful goalkeeping from Gianluigi Buffon in particular.
For a country that had suffered penalty heartache at both World Cup 1994 and 1998, a shootout felt an ironic way to decide which Italian side would be Europe's best, and so it proved with a mostly shambolic set of spot kicks.
Milan held their nerve just that bit better, with Andriy Shevchenko clinching their sixth European title with an extremely cool penalty.
Milan's penalty luck would famously run out two years later, with Sheva the fall guy in Istanbul, but six Champions Leagues became seven in 2007.
The 2003 title was also the first of five for Carlo Ancelotti, who rather fittingly failed to win in Europe with Juve but did twice with Milan.
📸 Alex Livesey - 2003 Getty Images