A Serie A representative in the Champions League final was already certain considering Inter, Milan, and Napoli were on the same part of the bracket. Roma and Fiorentina moved past Bayer Leverkusen and Basel in the other two continental competitions. Therefore, an Italian team will be in the running for each of the three trophies.
It’s unprecedented with the current formula, as European Conference League was instituted very recently, but it’s the fifth time it happens considering the various iterations, La Gazzetta dello Sport relays. In 1988/1989, Milan, led by Arrigo Sacchi and their legendary Dutchmen, beat Steaua Bucharest in Camp Nou in the European Cup, the Champions League’s predecessor. Gianluca Vialli and Roberto Mancini’s Sampdoria lost to Barcelona in the Cup Winners’ Cup. Instead, Diego Armando Maradona’s Napoli bested Stuttgart over two legs in the UEFA Cup.
In the following season, Serie A won all three competitions for the first and only time in history. The Rossoneri took home the most prestigious trophy again by defeating Benfica in Wien. The Blucerchiati exacted revenge by topping Anderlecht in Goteborg. Juventus got the better of Fiorentina in the third-tier one.
In 1992/1993, Fabio Capello’s Milan lost to Marseille in the European Cup final, Parma sunk Antwerp in the Cup Winners’ Cup, while the Old Lady dismantled Borussia Dortmund in the UEFA Cup. Finally, Serie A had a representative in all three finals in 1993/1994, prevailing twice in this case as well. The Rossoneri triumphed again in the biggest one by crushing Barcelona in Athens, while Inter came out on top versus Salzburg in the UEFA Cup. Instead, Parma were narrowly upended by Arsenal in Copenhagen in the Cup Winners’ Cup.
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