Tbf Rivaldo was also a bit past his prime, just lost that power he used to have. He was one of my favourite players at the time, I was really excited when he made that move, but seeing him in Milan he was just like a watered down version of his Barca days.
They played together at times, behind Shevchenko, and I remember there was huge pressure from the fans fowards Ancelotti to play two strikers because that two 10s formation never really clicked.
I’m not sure it was right after the 2002 WC where he was the best player just don’t think he was really the right fit for AC Milan and didn’t help he had Rui Costa and then along came Kaka lol
Great vid quality
Despite losing Thuram was excellent. Kept Ronaldo quiet.
Legend.
What outrageous teams. So strong from front to back…
Crazy names.
Did they pick up silverware?
Over that time period they won the Serie A, Coppa Italia, Cup Winners Cup and a few of the super cups (domestic and European).
That team was STACKED.
I just figured they bought guys like Crespo, Claudio Lopez, Peruzzi, Fiore, Dino Baggio, Poborsky, De La Pena in the summer of 2000, AFTER they just won the Serie A.
They lost guys like Mancini, Almeyda, Bokšić, Conceincao, but still that’s a ridiculous amount of quality they added on a already insane team.
Seems what disrupted them was when Sven Goran Eriksson (RIP) was appointed as the England manager in the first half of 2000/01 (to take them over at the end of the season), and he was asked to resign from Lazio in the January of that season…
Just learned that. I think that’s a huge shame, you have to wonder what that team was capable of doing in the CL if they kept that group with Eriksson leading them.
You see when I watch that video as well it’s crazy how good Nesta was and he was captain at 25.
As great as he was I think he would have been even better without the injuries.
He was the blueprint for all modern defenders to come in that he was fast, strong, good distribution but also had nearly unrivalled defensive skills to go with it.
What sticks out for me when comparing guys like Nesta, Cannavato, Maldini etc, guys who were very good on the ball, especially Nesta, to the modern CBs… Those guys were TOUGH tacklers. Properly commited, aggressive, yet fair.
What irritates me nowadays is when I hear talk about the aggresive defenders like Vidic etc, being inferior to guys like Ferdinand or Van Dijk because they were so aggressive, how the latter guys didn’t have to tackle because they were so smart etc…
That’s such utter rubbish I can’t even explain, I’m gonna start to cry now… Makes me so mad.
Ferdinand couldn’t tackle as good Nesta, Maldini, Vidic etc, that’s why he wasn’t doing it so much you cunts! Not because he was so smart. He needed Vidic (just as Vidic needed him).
Still boggles the mind that Juve had Edwin van Der sar in goal and Fulham somehow signed him that summer.
To go back to that Lazio team
Btw, only now watched the full video of that Lazio - Juve game above…
The quality of all the goals 
Neved, Crespo and Veron on one side, the quality of Zizou and Del Piero for that Juve goal… Just too much quality in such a short time.
https://x.com/SkySportsPL/status/1886551821130555579?t=SBvHMNIIC3Hf_fUBvZSkMQ&s=19
Dennis Wise looking well out of place there
We talked about Rui Costa the other day…
Just bumped onto this vid, thought he had a ridiculous game here. Totally dominated it. That combo of abiltiy on the ball, dribbling and composure in tight areas, alongise his vision and passing is insane.
Watcing him back in the day I was mostly impressed how ridiculous he was in tight areas, under pressure. Just cruised with the ball, turned, dribbled effortlessly. Maybe was holding onto the ball too much at times for my liking, but his vision was also top notch.
You have to say it’s a shame he didn’t move to a bigger club earlier, would have left a bigger legacy.
As a pure 10 I think he’s up there with prime Zizou, at least when in proper form. I’d say even comfortably better in some areas.
Wow, had no clue Real finished only 5th while they won the CL. Tbf only 2 points between them and Barca on second spot lol
It sure is a crazy table.
Plus Atletico getting relegeted that year. That was a STRONG season lol.
It does say a lot about the competitiveness of La Liga at the time, with Real and Valenica in the CL final. Surely the closest league to the Serie A in terms of quality at the time.
Just look at Deportivo and Valencia now 
Just goes to show that when everyone is shit, football is lot more fun.
Equal*
Every team in that table has conceded 40 goals…I find it hard to believe that is down to being ‘equal’
