"Both teams were somewhat alike. They both had the ability to hit precise long balls from the back," Beckenbauer said as he watched the match. "Back in our day, nobody could pass that accurately."
"That was because the ball was heavier back then."
Pelé said.
On rainy days, the ball felt like it was made of iron.
If you weren't ready and it smashed into you, you could get hurt yourself.
"Barcelona were far worse than Sampdoria when they didn't have the ball," Bobby Charlton said bluntly.
Guardiola's later system had been learned from Cruyff.
It emphasized positioning.
Koeman was the libero, while the two wide center-backs could pull out wide. Guardiola handled the transitions, and the attacking players formed triangles after triangles, using passing and movement to stretch the opponent's shape.
Laudrup had greater freedom to provide creativity, while Bakero was responsible for pressing defenders and committing tactical fouls in the final third.
It was an extremely aggressive attacking system.
Whenever they did not have possession, Barcelona dropped an entire level compared to when they did.
The same could not be said of Sampdoria, because Sampdoria were a team built around a standard Italian defensive system.
Ferguson later said that attack won games, while defense won championships.
That saying made sense in plenty of sports.
Guardiola had only just received the ball near the center circle when the entire Sampdoria team swiftly returned to their positions.
After their brief confusion at the start, the Hail brothers erupted with even greater energy.
"My thirty thousand dollars!!!"
Roberto Mancini charged at Laudrup with a howl and launched into a sliding tackle, startling Laudrup.
Laudrup quickly used his right foot to drag the ball back and spin on the spot, evading Mancini's tackle.
Vialli was pushing forward, while Dossena immediately moved in