1981–82 AC Milan season

At the start of the 1981–82 season, Luigi Radice, a former AC Milan player in the 1950s and 1960s, was hired as coach; among the new signings were those of playmaker Adelio Moro, coming from Ascoli, and Scottish centre-forward Joe Jordan from Manchester United. Milan struggles begun immediately, with misunderstandings between a coach with somewhat rough methods and players with little character. Franco Baresi's long absence due to a rare blood disease precipitated the situation. The team never left the relegation zone, the players seemed apathetic, and not even the open protests of the fans helped shaking them. Everything was tried, from the change of president (from Gaetano Morazzoni to Giuseppe Farina in January 1982) and coach (from Radice to Galbiati) to the unusual one of the captain (from Aldo Maldera to Fulvio Collovati), with few results. In the last five league games, however, with 8 points out of 10 available, Milan attempted a desperate comeback. At the final whistle of the last match, won 3–2 by Milan against Cesena), the team was virtually safe, but the last minutes of the Napoli-Genoa match were still being played in Naples; as a consequence of a sensational mistake by the Neapolitan goalkeeper Castellini, Genoa equalized, condemning Milan to their second relegation.[2] Four days before, on 12 May 1982 at San Siro, beating the Czechoslovakian side Vitkovice 3–0, Milan won the Mitropa Cup.[3]

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 Roberto Incontri — GK  ITA Ottorino Piotti — GK  ITA Antonio Gambino — DF  ITA Franco Baresi — DF  ITA Maurizio Venturi — DF  ITA Fulvio Collovati — DF  ITA Andrea Icardi — MF  ITA Aldo Maldera — DF  ITA Alberto Minoia — DF  ITA Mauro Tassotti — MF  ITA Sergio Battistini — MF  ITA Dario Donà — MF  ITA Ruben Buriani

No. Pos. Nation Player — MF  ITA Massimo Gadda — MF  ITA Stefano Cuoghi — MF  ITA Walter De Vecchi — MF  ITA Alberigo Evani — MF  ITA Adelio Moro — MF  ITA Walter Novellino — MF  ITA Francesco Romano — FW  ITA Roberto Antonelli — FW  ITA Alberto Cambiaghi — FW  ITA Giuseppe Incocciati — FW  SCO Joe Jordan — FW  ITA Roberto Mandressi — FW  ITA Fabio Valente

• Almanacco illustrato del Milan (2 ed.). Panini. Panini. 2005.

• "Stagione 1981–1982" (in Italian). Magliarossonera.it.