:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/46414748/GettyImages-2035706.0.jpg)
On May 28th, 2003 at Old Trafford, Milan faced Juventus in the first-ever Champions League final between two Italian sides. In the semifinals, Juventus beat Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu with an incredible 3-1 victory after a defeat in the first leg, and Milan prevailed over Inter with a 1-1 draw 'away'.
The final itself was a typically Italian affair: a highly tactical, not-so-entertaining match that ended 0-0, but it was intense. 120 minutes of play were not enough to decide which of the two teams were better. The winners would be decided by penalties.
This was the final outcome of that unpredictable lottery (X="made", O="missed")
| X/O | Juventus | Milan | X/O |
| O | Trezguet | Serginho | X |
| X | Birindelli | Seedorf | O |
| O | Zalayeta | Kaladze | O |
| O | Montero | Nesta | X |
| X | Del Piero | Shevchenko |
X
|
Things went Milan's way from the outset when David Trezeguet, who scored the crucial goal during the European championships that ended against gli Azzurri's hopes only a few years before, missed the first penalty.
Milan Channel speaker Carlo Pellegatti said that Trezeguet's penalty preparation was "bad" and he was right!
Then it was Milan's turn. Serginho had never missed a penalty kick before in his career,but this time he was facing one of the best goalkeepers in the world, Gigi Buffon.
No problem for Serginho. A perfect penalty just under the crossbar and no chance for Gigi Buffon to save it.
Then Juventus went 2-4 (Birindelli and Del Piero) and Milan 1-3 (Nesta) making it a tie game (again) at 2-2. So it fell to Andriy Shevchenko's to either win it all for Milan or extend the game.
Andriy with ice in his veins. Clutch.
Buffon on his right and ball on the left: MILAN WIN THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE!
It was their 6th European title (counting the "old" European Champion Club's Cup and the "new" UEFA Champions League) and the first of the Carlo Ancelotti era. Fantastic moments to remember!