Former Real Madrid manager John Toshack recalls the challenge of beating the formidable AC Milan team of the late 1980s. In the 1989/90 European Cup, Real Madrid faced a 2-0 deficit from the first leg. Although they won the second leg 1-0 at the Bernabeu, they did not advance. Despite the loss, Toshack viewed this victory as a pivotal moment in his career, especially after the team's previous heavy defeat to Milan in the semifinals just months before his appointment, reinforcing his status at Madrid.
"It was one of the greatest games of my coaching career. We couldn't go crazy - we had to get back into the tie little by little - but to beat that team, with Frank Rijkaard, Marco van Basten and Ruud Gullit, was almost impossible."
"The two sides had faced each other just months before in the 1988/89 European Cup semi-finals, with the Italians winning 6-1 on aggregate. The Welshman had only been appointed in the intervening summer, so managing to beat Milan 1-0, albeit lose the tie, helped his status at the club."
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