1978–79 A.C. Milan season

In the season 1978/79 Milan Associazione Calcio competed in Serie A, Coppa Italia and UEFA Cup.

Milan Associazione Calcio
1978–79 season
ChairmanFelice Colombo
ManagerNils Liedholm
StadiumSan Siro
Serie A1st
10th title
(in European Cup)
Coppa ItaliaFirst round
UEFA CupRound of 16
Top goalscorerLeague: Bigon (12)
All: Bigon (17)
Average home league attendance48,358[1]

Summary

The team fails to advance in Coppa Italia, Milan finishes in Group 4 in second place with 5 points with games won against Lecce and Foggia in the first rounds, after a shocking defeat with SPAL the team did not reach the victory against Catanzaro.[2]

Although, Perugia were the first team during the round-robin era to go through the season undefeated, due to their number of drawn matches, they finished second in the league behind Milan.[3]

Domestic league gave better results, with side stable at top in mid season. Retour half never saw Milan lose two consecutives games,[4] for a trend that let him to recover points on Perugia. Following draws, in the final part of the season, insured Scudetto. It was the first domestic title since 1968, the tenth overall.

In a key strategic movement by manager Nils Liedholm, newly arrived Walter Novellino from Vicenza played as striker along with Stefano Chiodi and Gianni Rivera.[5] In the final round of this campaign, the club captain Gianni Rivera retired after 19 seasons, he played 658 games scoring 164 goals letting the band to Albertino Bigon. Also, manager Nils Liedholm leave the club after a contract dispute with the chairman.[6]

Squad

[7] Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
— GK  ITA Enrico Albertosi
— GK  ITA Antonio Rigamonti
— DF  ITA Franco Baresi
— DF  ITA Aldo Bet
— DF  ITA Simone Boldini
— DF  ITA Fulvio Collovati
— DF  ITA Aldo Maldera
— DF  ITA Alberto Minoia
— MF  ITA Alberto Bigon (vice captain)
No. Pos. Nation Player
— MF  ITA Ruben Buriani
— MF  ITA Fabio Capello
— MF  ITA Walter De Vecchi
— MF  ITA Giorgio Morini
— MF  ITA Walter Novellino
— MF  ITA Gianni Rivera (captain)
— FW  ITA Roberto Antonelli
— FW  ITA Stefano Chiodi
— FW  ITA Giovanni Sartori

Transfers
In
Pos. Name from
MFWalter De VecchiMonza
MFWalter NovellinoPerugia
FWStefano ChiodiBologna

Competitions

[8]

Serie A
Main article: 1978–79 Serie A

League table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Milan (C) 30 17 10 3 46 19 +27 44 Qualification to European Cup
2 Perugia 30 11 19 0 34 16 +18 41 Qualification to UEFA Cup
3 Juventus 30 12 13 5 40 23 +17 37 Qualification to Cup Winners' Cup
4 Internazionale 30 10 16 4 38 24 +14 36 Qualification to UEFA Cup
5 Torino 30 11 14 5 35 23 +12 36
Source: Panini
(C) Champion.

Matches
1 October 1978 1 Milan 1-0 Avellino Milano
Buriani  79' Report Stadium: Stadio San Siro
Attendance: 42,147
Referee: Mattei
8 October 1978 2 Roma 0-3 Milan Roma
Report  15' Maldera
 38' (pen), 61' (pen) Chiodi		 Stadium: Stadio Olimpico
Attendance: 69,410
Referee: Agnolin
15 October 1978 3 Milan 0-0 Ascoli Milano
Report Stadium: Stadio San Siro
Attendance: 45,149
Referee: D'Elia
22 October 1978 4 Atalanta 1-3 Milan Milano
Garritano  31' (pen) Report  3' Maldera
 35' (pen), 60' (pen) Chiodi		 Stadium: Stadio San Siro
Attendance: 31,788
Referee: Reggiani
29 October 1978 5 Milan 4-1 Fiorentina Milano
Minoia  5'
Bigon  16', 39', 80'		 Report  29' Amenta Stadium: Stadio San Siro
Attendance: 46,136
Referee: Ciulli
5 November 1978 6 Juventus 1-0 Milan Torino
Bettega  2' Report Stadium: Stadio Comunale
Attendance: 66,377
Referee: D'Elia
12 November 1978 7 Milan 1-0 Inter Milano
Maldera  49' Report Stadium: Stadio San Siro
Attendance: 65,965
Referee: Michelotti
19 November 1978 8 Lanerossi Vicenza 2-3 Milan Vicenza
Paolo Rossi  45'
Guidetti  89'		 Report  8' Maldera
 65' Bigon
 80' Boldini		 Stadium: Stadio Romeo Menti
Attendance: 30,572
Referee: Menicucci
26 November 1978 9 S.S.C. Napoli 1-1 Milan Napoli
Savoldi  4' Report  57' De Vecchi Stadium: Stadio San Paolo
Attendance: 68,185
Referee: Ciulli
3 December 1978 10 Milan 1-1 Perugia Milano
Antonelli  62' Report  3' Vannini Stadium: Stadio San Siro
Attendance: 44,825
Referee: Longhi
10 December 1978 11 Milan 1-0 Torino Milano
De Vecchi  3' Report Stadium: Stadio San Siro
Attendance: 37,415
Referee: Menicucci
17 December 1978 12 Hellas Verona 1-3 Milan Verona
Spinozzi  62' Report  54' Novellino
 63' Antonelli
 73' De Vecchi		 Stadium: Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi
Attendance: 30,917
Referee: Reggiani
7 January 1979 13 Milan 4-0 Catanzaro Milano
Chiodi  16'
Bigon  21'
Novellino  76'
Antonelli  81'		 Report Stadium: Stadio San Siro
Attendance: 35,309
Referee: Lo Bello
14 January 1979 14 Bologna 0-1 Milan Bologna
Report  61' Maldera Stadium: Comunale
Attendance: 47,709
Referee: Menegali
21 January 1979 15 Milan 2-0 Lazio Milano
Maldera  16'
Bigon  65'		 Report Stadium: Stadio San Siro
Attendance: 39,090
Referee: Pieri
28 January 1979 16 Avellino 1-0 Milan Avellino
Vincenzo Romano  14' Report Stadium: Stadio Partenio
Attendance: 47,286
Referee: Michelotti
4 February 1979 17 Milan 1-0 Roma Milano
Antonelli  80' (pen) Report Stadium: Stadio San Siro
Attendance: 46,396
Referee: Milan
11 February 1979 18 Ascoli 0-1 Milan Ascoli Piceno
Report  30' Maldera Stadium: Stadio Cino e Lillo Del Duca
Attendance: 37,256
Referee: Ciulli
18 February 1979 19 Milan 1-1 Atalanta Milano
Bigon  24' Report  42' Tavola Stadium: Stadio San Siro
Attendance: 44,532
Referee: Lattanzi
4 March 1979 20 Fiorentina 2-3 Milan Firenze
Lelj  44'
Baresi  65' (o.g.)		 Report  5' Maldera
 35', 53' Bigon		 Stadium: Stadio Comunale
Attendance: 55,140
11 March 1979 2 Milan 0-0 Juventus Milano
Report Stadium: Stadio San Siro
Attendance: 65,235
Referee: Michelotti
18 March 1979 22 Inter Milan 2-2 Milan Milano
Oriali  50'
Altobelli  78'		 Report  80', 89' De Vecchi Stadium: Stadio San Siro
Attendance: 64,868
Referee: Agnolin
25 March 1979 23 Milan 0-0 Lanerossi Vicenza Milano
Report Stadium: Stadio San Siro
Attendance: 43,806
Referee: Longhi
1 April 1979 24 Milan 0-1 Napoli Milano
Report  40' Majo Stadium: Stadio San Siro
Attendance: 51,311
Referee: Menicucci
8 April 1979 25 Perugia 1-1 Milan Perugia
Casarsa  17' (pen) Report  15' (pen) Chiodi Stadium: Stadio Renato Curi
Attendance: 28,717
Referee: Agnolin
14 April 1979 26 Torino 0-3 Milan Torino
Report  41', 53' Bigon
 45' (pen) Chiodi		 Stadium: Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino
Attendance: 56,429
Referee: Lattanzi
22 April 1979 27 Milan 2-1 Hellas Verona Milano
Rivera  47'
Novellino  84'		 Report  24' Calloni Stadium: Stadio San Siro
Attendance: 51,247
Referee: Ciulli
29 April 1979 28 Catanzaro 1-3 Milan Catanzaro
Ranieri  52' Report  48' Maldera
 58' Novellino
 89' Antonelli		 Stadium: Stadio Comunale
Attendance: 25,491
Referee: Longhi
6 May 1979 29 Milan 0-0 Bologna Milano
Report Stadium: Stadio San Siro
Attendance: 65,044
Referee: Menicucci
13 May 1979 30 Lazio 1-1 Milan Roma
Bruno Giordano  32' Report  8' Bigon Stadium: Stadio Olimpico
Attendance: 53,550
Referee: Terpin

Coppa Italia
Main article: 1978–79 Coppa Italia

First round

Group 4

30 August 1978 1 Lecce 2-3 Milan Lecce
Biondi  36'
Magistrelli  69' (pen)		  10' Rivera
 14', 64' Bigon		 Stadium: Comunale
Attendance: 25,000
Referee: Vittorio Benedetti
3 September 1978 2 Milan 3-0 Foggia Milano
Maldera  37' (pen), 55'
Chiodi  48'		 Stadium: Stadio San Siro
Attendance: 22,146
Referee: Prati
10 September 1978 3 SPAL 3-1 Milan Ferrara
Pezzato  24', 88'
Gibellini  42'		  85' Maldera Stadium: Comunale
Attendance: 22,000
Referee: Menegali
17 September 1978 4 Milan 2-2 Catanzaro Milano
Chiodi  19' (pen)
Bet  65'		  59' Ranieri
 89' (pen) Palanca		 Stadium: Stadio San Siro
Attendance: 34,236
Referee: Agnolin

UEFA Cup
Main article: 1978–79 UEFA Cup

First round
13 September 1978 Milan 1-0 FC Lokomotíva Košice Milano
Novellino  34' Stadium: Stadio San Siro
Attendance: 34,529
Referee: Charles Scerri
27 September 1978 FC Lokomotíva Košice 1-0
(6-7 p)		 Milan Kosice
Ján Kozák  81' Stadium: Stadion Lokomotiva
Attendance: 30,000
Referee: Renggli
Penalties
Kozák
Ujhely
Jacko
Móder
Suchánek
Dobrovič
Fecko
Repík 		Maldera
Novellino
Chiodi
Buriani
Antonelli
Morini
De Vecchi
Baresi

Round of 32
19 October 1978 Levski Spartak 1-1 Milan Sofia
Milkov  12'  11' Chiodi Stadium: Georgi Asparuhov
Attendance: 55,000
Referee: Linemayr
1 November 1978 Milan 3-0 Levski Spartak Milano
Maldera  12'
Bigon  40'
Chiodi  75'		 Stadium: Stadio San Siro
Attendance: 24,635
Referee: Gordon

Eightfinals
23 November 1978 Milan 2-2 Manchester City Milano
Bigon  59', 82'  37' Kidd
 57' Power		 Stadium: Stadio San Siro
Attendance: 27,102
Referee: Einbeck
6 December 1978 Manchester City 3-0 [9] Milan Manchester
Booth  15'
Hartford  31'
Kidd  43'		 Stadium: Maine Road
Attendance: 50,000
Referee: Aldinger

References
  1. "Attendance Statistics of Serie A". stadiapostcards.com.
  2. Almanacco illustrato del Milan, 2ª ed.,March 2005 (in Italian), Panini, p. 418-419.
  3. "Classifica Parziale Stagione 1978-1979 - Giornata: 5" (in Italian). wikicalcioitalia.info. Retrieved 4 March 2012.
  4. "Classifica Parziale Stagione 1978-1979 - Giornata: 24" (in Italian). wikicalcioitalia.info. Retrieved 4 March 2012.
  5. "Milan Stagione 1978-1979" (in Italian). magliarossonera.it.
  6. Gianni Rivera and Oreste Del Buono, Dalla Corea al Quirinale (in Italian), Rizzoli
  7. "ACM Squad". footballsquads.co.uk.
  8. "Milan season 78-79" (PDF).
  9. suspended on 5 December 1978 due to fog: Almanacco illustrato del Milan, 2ª ed.,March 2005 (in Italian), Panini, p. 419.
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