When Real Sociedad matched Baresi’s great Milan in an Italian-style robbery | OneFootball

Franco Baresi, who died on Friday aged 66, captained Milan on 12 August 1987 when Real Sociedad pushed the soon to be European heavyweights to a contentious 2-1 at San Siro.

According to Diario Vasco, Silvio Berlusconi, 18 months into his reign, sent a telegram from Bermuda demanding victory for Arrigo Sacchi’s curtain-raiser in front of more than 50,000 fans. Real, coached by Toshack and fresh from the 1987 Copa del Rey, arrived with confidence.

Real struck first on 21 minutes, Loren and Txiki Begiristain exchanging passes before Begiristain beat Galli with his right foot.

Milan levelled on 50 minutes, Carlo Ancelotti driving down the right and Ruud Gullit finishing first time into the far corner. The winner came on 76, the referee giving a penalty after a chaotic passage involving Gullit and Gajate. Luis Arconada saved Virdis’s kick, but the forward headed in the rebound.

The report painted the refereeing as scandalous, arguing an offside against Gullit became a non-existent penalty and that Milan’s heavy challenges went unchecked, a robbery Italian style.

Italian newspapers echoed the outcry, adding that Real played at a markedly higher tempo and that the penalty was seen only by the referee. The Basque club earned five million pesetas, then their biggest fee for an international friendly, and capped a prestige pre-season across the UK and Italy by visiting Chelsea on 25 August.

Source: Diario Vasco