1961–62 AC Milan season

AC Milan
1961-62 season
Chairman	Andrea Rizzoli
Manager	Nereo Rocco
Stadium	San Siro
Serie A	Winners
Coppa Italia	Second round
Fairs Cup	Round of 32
Coppa dell'Amicizia	Semi-finals
Top goalscorer	League: Altafini (22); All: Altafini (22)
Average home league attendance	42,061
Home colours	Away colours
	← 1960–61 1962–63 →

The 1961–62 season saw AC Milan compete in Serie A, the Coppa Italia and the Fairs Cup. The club went on to win the Serie A. In the Coppa Italia they were knocked out by Mondena who played in Serie B.

Summary

The 1961–62 season gave way to Nereo Rocco as newly appointed manager ^[2] and Dino Sani's arrival^[3] (replacing Jimmy Greaves in November) that provided President Andrea Rizzoli with the right amount of talent to aim for a championship win.

Young star Gianni Rivera initially struggled to gain playing time under new manager Nereo Rocco during the 1961–62 season, his second at the club, also being linked with loans to Vicenza and Juventus, but won his way back into the starting line-up and played a decisive role, scoring 10 goals in the league. Throughout the season, Rivera formed an important relationship with the legendary manager and catenaccio mastermind; he played a key role in the club's successes under Rocco, who subsequently built a hard-working, winning team around Rivera that complemented the midfielder's creative playing style.^[4]

The season started with success at home against Juventus (5-1), and then created an unstoppable winning streak for Milan, that would see them only lose once in twenty-one matches. It would also be a defeat for Juventus back in their own home town that year, as Milan delivered a 4–2 win.

It would seem Rocco's only regret of the 1961–62 season would be in the Milano Derby as Inter won with the result 2–0. In spite of those who accused the father and pioneer of the real catenaccio, Milan gave way to dominate the field with eighty-three goals scored in thirty-four games (an average of 2.4 goals per match) and with thirty-four goals conceded. While Juventus was nowhere near the top contention that year, Inter, Fiorentina, and Bologna were the only true runner-ups for the scudetto race.

That same year, Milan played in the Fourth Inter-Cities Fairs Cup (this was the predecessor of the UEFA Europa League Cup), however, Milan did not go far and lost in the first round against the Yugoslavian team Novi Sad.

Season squad

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	Luciano Alfieri
—	GK	ITA	Giorgio Ghezzi
—	GK	ITA	Mario Liberalato
—	DF	ITA	Cesare Maldini (Captain)
—	DF	ITA	Antonio Pasinato
—	DF	ITA	Luigi Radice
—	DF	ITA	Sandro Salvadore
—	DF	ITA	Giovanni Trapattoni
—	DF	ITA	Mario Trebbi
—	DF	ITA	Francesco Zagatti ^[5]
—	MF	ITA	Mario David
—	MF	ITA	Giovanni Lodetti
—	MF	ITA	Ambrogio Pelagalli


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
—	MF	ITA	Gianni Rivera
—	MF	BRA	Dino Sani
—	MF	ITA	Sergio Tenente
—	FW	BRA	José Altafini
—	FW	ITA	Paolo Barison
—	FW	ITA	Bruno Beretti
—	FW	ITA	Oliviero Conti
—	FW	ITA	Giancarlo Danova
—	FW	ITA	Emanuele Del Vecchio
—	FW	URU	Alcides Ghiggia
—	FW	ITA	Gino Pivatelli
—	FW	ITA	Orlando Rozzoni^[6]
—	FW	ENG	Jimmy Greaves

Transfers

In

In
Pos.	Name	from	Type
FW	Oliviero Conti	Vicenza	-
FW	Giancarlo Danova	Torino	-
FW	Emanuele Del Vecchio	Padova Calcio	-
FW	Paolo Ferrario	Lazio	-
FW	Alcides Ghiggia	Roma	-
FW	Jimmy Greaves	Chelsea F.C.	-
GK	Mario Liberalato	Mestrina	-
DF	Antonio Pasinato	Lecce	-
MF	Ambrogio Pelagalli	Atalanta	-
FW	Gino Pivatelli	Napoli	-
FW	Orlando Rozzoni	Udinese^[7]	-
MF	Dino Sani	Boca Juniors	-
MF	Sergio Tenente	Ascoli	-

Out

Out
Pos.	Name	to	Type
FW	Giovanni Fanello	Napoli	-
FW	Carlo Galli	Udinese	-
DF	Luigi Garagna	Grosseto	-
FW	Jimmy Greaves	Tottenham Hotspur	-
MF	Nils Liedholm	-	retired
FW	Mario Maraschi	Lazio	-
DF	Gilberto Noletti	Lazio	-
DF	Pierluigi Ronzon	Napoli	-
FW	Santiago Vernazza	Vicenza	-

Loans

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
—	FW	ITA	Paolo Ferrario (to Lazio from November 1961)

Competitions

Serie A

League table

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification or relegation
1	Milan (C)	34	24	5	5	83	36	+47	53	Qualified for the European Cup
2	Internazionale	34	19	10	5	59	31	+28	48
3	Fiorentina	34	19	8	7	57	32	+25	46
4	Bologna	34	19	7	8	57	41	+16	45
5	Roma	34	18	8	8	61	35	+26	44	Invited for the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup

Source: Panini
(C) Champions

Matches

27 August 1961 1	Lanerossi Vicenza	0-3	Milan	Vicenza
		Report	29', 39'Altafini 55' (pen) Greaves	Stadium: Stadio Romeo Menti Attendance: 20,000 Referee: Gennaro Marchese

3 September 1961 2	Milan	3-0	Catania	Milan
	Barison 50' Radice 68' Maldini 72'	Report		Stadium: San Siro Attendance: 26,900 Referee: Samani

10 September 1961 3	Palermo	0-0	Milan	Palermo
		Report		Stadium: Stadio La Favorita Attendance: 37,500 Referee: Gastone Roversi

13 September 1961 4	Milan	4-3	Udinese	Milan
	Greaves 10', 24' (pen) Sassi 22' (aut) Pivatelli 49'	Report	30', 82' Pentrelli 36' Canella	Stadium: San Siro Attendance: 22,000 Referee: Antonio Sbardella

17 September 1961 5	Bologna	1-0	Milan	Bologna
	Bulgarelli 55'	Report		Stadium: Comunale Attendance: 32,500 Referee: Bruno De Marchi

24 September 1961 6	Milan	2-3	Sampdoria	Milan
	Greaves 43', 73' (pen)	Report	56' (pen) Vincenzi 62' Skoglund 84' Veselinovic	Stadium: San Siro Attendance: 47,500 Referee: Leita

1 October 1961 7	Inter	1-3	Milan	Milan
	Suarez 69'	Report	18' Pivatelli 53' Greaves 87' Conti	Stadium: San Siro Attendance: 77,500 Referee: Pietro Bonetto

4 October 1961 8	Venezia	2-1	Milan	Venezia
	Siciliano 17' Raffini 83'	Report	62' Altafini	Stadium: Stadio Pier Luigi Penzo Attendance: 22,000 Referee: Cesare Jonni

8 October 1961 9	Milan	3-0	Lecco	Milan
	Altafini 11' Pivatelli 20', 68'	Report		Stadium: San Siro Attendance: 27,500 Referee: Francesco Francescon

22 October 1961 10	Milan	3-1	Roma	Milan
	David 54' Pelagalli 77' Greaves 89'	Report	83' Orlando	Stadium: San Siro Attendance: 54,100 Referee: Pietro Bonetto

29 October 1961 11	Fiorentina	5-2	Milan	Firenze
	Hamrin 6', 56' (pen) Milani 9', 16' Petris 77'	Report	39' (pen), 65' Greaves	Stadium: Comunale Attendance: 40,000 Referee: Iginio Rigato

12 November 1961 12	Milan	5-1	Juventus	Milan
	Altafini 3', 8', 76', 78' Rivera 62'	Report	38' Rosa	Stadium: San Siro Attendance: 46,065 Referee: Iginio Rigato

19 November 1961 13	Padova	1-1	Milan	Padova
	Del Vecchio 43'	Report	11'Altafini	Stadium: Stadio Silvio Appiani Attendance: 22,000 Referee: Antonio Di Tonno

26 November 1961 14	Milan	2-2	Atalanta	Milan
	David 54' (pen) Rivera 78'	Report	68' Colombo 80' Maschio	Stadium: San Siro Attendance: 21,620 Referee: Gennaro Marchese

3 December 1961 15	Mantova Calcio	1-2	Milan	Mantova
	Allemann 28'	Report	58' Pivatelli 73'Rivera	Stadium: Stadio Danilo Martelli Attendance: 32,500 Referee: Concetto Lo Bello

10 December 1961 16	Torino	1-1	Milan	Torino
	Crippa 49'	Report	61' Altafini	Stadium: Comunale Attendance: 45,000 Referee: Carlo Gambarotta

17 December 1961 17	Milan	4-1	SPAL	Milan
	David 17' Rivera 50' Danova 67', 77'	Report	64' Mencacci	Stadium: San Siro Attendance: 25,000 Referee: Carlo Gambarotta

24 December 1961 18	Milan	4-1	Lanerossi Vicenza	Milan
	Danova 11' Altafini 48' Sani 74', 87'	Report	83' (rig) Kostic	Stadium: San Siro Attendance: 14,800 Referee: Antonio Sbardella

31 December 1961 19	Catania	1-3	Milan	Catania
	Calvanese 27'	Report	22', 28' Pivatelli 30' Danova	Stadium: Stadio Cibali Attendance: 23,000 Referee: Pietro Bonetto

7 January 1962 20	Milan	3-0	Palermo	Milan
	Danova 33' Sani 44' Barison 57'	Report		Stadium: San Siro Attendance: 25,000 Referee: Francesco Francescon

14 January 1962 21	Udinese	0-1	Milan	Udine
		Report	86' Altafini	Stadium: Stadio Moretti Attendance: 20,000 Referee: Carlo Gambarotta

22 January 1962 22	Milan	3-0	Bologna	Milan
	Danova 21', 24', 31'	Report		Stadium: San Siro Attendance: 65,000 Referee: Iginio Rigato

29 January 1962 23	Sampdoria	1-3	Milan	Genova
	Brighenti 29'	Report	13' Conti 44' Sani 70'Rivera	Stadium: Stadio Luigi Ferraris Attendance: 37,500 Referee: Iginio Rigato

4 February 1962 24	Milan	0-2	Inter	Milan
		Report	44' Morbello 84' Suarez	Stadium: San Siro Attendance: 82,400 Referee: Giuseppe Adami

11 February 1962 25	Milan	1-0	Venezia	Milan
	Altafini 32'	Report		Stadium: San Siro Attendance: 30,000 Referee: Antonio Sbardella

18 February 1962 26	Lecco	2-2	Milan	Lecce
	Di Giacomo 28' Abbadie 49'	Report	2' Barison 38' Pivatelli	Stadium: Mario Rigamonti Attendance: 20,000 Referee: Pietro Bonetto

25 February 1962 27	Roma	0-1	Milan	Roma
		Report	45' (o.g.) Losi	Stadium: Stadio Olimpico Attendance: 55,500 Referee: Concetto Lo Bello

4 March 1962 28	Milan	5-2	Fiorentina	Milan
	Rivera 1' Barison 16', 75' Altafini 31', 40'	Report	29', 80' Milani	Stadium: San Siro Attendance: 62,673 Referee: Pietro Bonetto

11 March 1962 29	Juventus	2-4	Milan	Torino
	Charles 42' Mora 87' (pen)	Report	11' Barison 49' Sani 53', 67' Altafini	Stadium: Comunale Attendance: 37,000 Referee: Iginio Rigato

18 March 1962 30	Milan	4-0	Padova	Milan
	Rivera 5', 61' Altafini 25' Conti 63'	Report		Stadium: San Siro Attendance: 40,000 Referee: Antonio Sbardella

25 March 1962 31	Atalanta	0-2^[8]	Milan	Bergamo
		Report		Stadium: Comunale Attendance: 24,000 Referee: Giuseppe Adami

1 April 1962 32	Milan	1-0	Mantova	Milan
	Rivera 29'	Report		Stadium: San Siro Attendance: 67,500 Referee: Francesco Francescon

8 April 1962 33	Milan	4-2	Torino	Milan
	Gerbaudo 5' (aut) Rivera 8' Altafini 44', 73'	Report	31' Crippa 61' (rig) Locatelli	Stadium: San Siro Attendance: 83,000 Referee: Concetto Lo Bello

15 April 1962 34	SPAL	0-3	Milan	Ferrara
		Report	30', 76' Altafini 86' Conti	Stadium: Comunale Attendance: 15,000 Referee: Carlo Gambarotta

Coppa Italia

Second round

15 October 1961	Milan	0-1	Modena	Milan
			68' (pen) Cuttica	Stadium: San Siro Attendance: 3,300 Referee: Alessandro D'Agostini

Friendship Cup

Eightfinals

6 May 1962	Nice	3-6	Milan	Nice
	Dandru 18' Barrou 55' Alba 81'		5', 77' Del Vecchio 8' Barison 31' Conti 58' (aut) Albert 72' Sani	Stadium: Stade Municipal du Ray Attendance: 6,000 Referee: Guinnard

13 May 1962	Milan	3-1	Nice	Milan
	Barison 1' Sani 8', 60'		16' De Bourgoing	Stadium: San Siro Attendance: 2,000 Referee: Huber

Quarterfinals

26 May 1962	Milan	5-2	Toulouse	Milan
	Rozzoni 7', 16', 42' Lodetti 55' Pivatelli 63'		11' Schultz 87' Jubert	Stadium: San Siro Attendance: 2,929 Referee: Gulbert

3 June 1962	Toulouse	1-4	Milan	Toulouse
	Redin 53'		8' Conti 67' Zagatti 88' Lodetti 89' Barison	Stadium: Stadium Municipal Attendance: 5,000

Semifinals

10 June 1962	Torino	2-1	Milan	Torino
	Rosato 42' Crippa 50'		74' Lodetti	Stadium: Stadio Filadelfia Attendance: 7,000 Referee: Carlo Gambarotta

14 June 1962	Milan	1-1	Torino	Milan
	Rozzoni 75'		82' Ferrini	Stadium: San Siro Attendance: 8,000 Referee: Iginio Rigato

Fairs Cup

Round of 32

30 August 1961	Milan	0-0	Novi Sad	Milan
			.	Stadium: San Siro Attendance: 20,000 Referee: Faucheux

20 September 1961	Novi Sad	2-0	Milan	Novi Sad
	Takac 20' Pavlic 50'			Stadium: Karađorđe Stadium Attendance: 15,000 Referee: Chebat

Statistics

Squad statistics

Competition^[9]	Points	Home						Away						Total						GD
Competition^[9]	Points	G	W	D	L	Gs	Ga	G	W	D	L	Gs	Ga	G	W	D	L	Gs	Ga	GD
1961-62 Serie A	53	17	14	1	2	51	18	17	10	4	3	32	18	34	24	5	5	83	36	+47
1961-62 Coppa Italia	–	1	0	0	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	1	0	1	-1
1961-62 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup	–	1	0	1	0	0	0	1	0	0	1	0	2	2	0	1	1	0	2	-2
1961-62 Coppa dell'Amicizia	–	3	2	1	0	9	4	3	2	0	1	11	6	6	4	1	1	20	10	+10
Total	–	22	16	3	3	60	23	21	12	4	5	43	26	43	28	7	8	103	49	+54

Players statistics

Appearances

Goal scorers

References

^ "Attendance Statistics of Serie A" (PDF). stadiapostcards.com. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
^ "RIVERA Gianni: Golden Boy per sempre - 2" (in Italian). Storie di Calcio. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
^ qui, 04/02/10. "Memória E. C. » Boca Juniors: uma relação antiga com jogadores brasileiros » Arquivo". Colunas.globoesporte.com. Retrieved 7 June 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
^ "AC Milan Hall of Fame: Gianni Rivera". A.C.Milan.com. Retrieved 9 December 2014.
^ Captain in 1961
^ Loaned in from Udinese to play Coppa dell'Amicizia italo-franco-svizzera.
^ Played only in May and June 1962.
^ Awarded. Score confirmed by Sports Court due to fans invasion of the field.
^ "Milan Associazione Calcio 1961–62". magliarossonera.it. Retrieved 14 October 2023.

Almanacco illustrato del Milan,ed=2,2005. Panini.
Almanacco illustrato del Milan,ed=1,1999. Panini.

External links

"Stagione 1961-1962". Milan.com.
"Stagione 1961-1962". Magliarossonera.it.

[1] "Attendance Statistics of Serie A" (PDF). stadiapostcards.com. Retrieved 14 October 2023.

[2] "RIVERA Gianni: Golden Boy per sempre - 2" (in Italian). Storie di Calcio. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 8 December 2016.

[3] qui, 04/02/10. "Memória E. C. » Boca Juniors: uma relação antiga com jogadores brasileiros » Arquivo". Colunas.globoesporte.com. Retrieved 7 June 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)

[4] "AC Milan Hall of Fame: Gianni Rivera". A.C.Milan.com. Retrieved 9 December 2014.

[5] Captain in 1961

[6] Loaned in from Udinese to play Coppa dell'Amicizia italo-franco-svizzera.

[7] Played only in May and June 1962.

[8] Awarded. Score confirmed by Sports Court due to fans invasion of the field.

[9] "Milan Associazione Calcio 1961–62". magliarossonera.it. Retrieved 14 October 2023.

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