Fabio Capello reveals the two moments that made him determined to beat Johan Cruyff. ‘I saw that and told my Milan players, we won 4-0 with the perfect performance.’

The Rossoneri have won the Champions League seven times, fewer only than Real Madrid, and probably the most unexpected was in 1994.

epa10494184 Former Italian soccer coach Fabio Capello arrives for the The Best FIFA Football Awards 2022 ceremony in Paris, France, 27 February 2023. EPA-EFE/YOAN VALAT

They were up against the iconic Barcelona coached by Cruyff , with players like Romario, Hristo Stoichkov, Ronald Koeman and Pep Guardiola, which many considered to be huge favourites for the victory.

Instead, they were crushed 4-0 in Athens by a Daniele Massaro brace, Dejan Savicevic’s iconic lob, and Marcel Desailly.

MADRID, SPAIN – APRIL 20: Fabio Capello attends the Sporting Mixed Zone ahead of Laureus World Sports Awards Madrid 2025 at Palacio De Cibeles on April 20, 2025 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images for Laureus)

“I played in a European Cup Final for Juventus and we lost against Ajax,” Capello said in the Festival dello Sport event.

“No complaints there, they were stronger than us, but after the match I saw Cruyff carry the trophy to the team bus and he just flung it in there, as if to say we’ve won three, it’s not that big a deal.