The 1996–97 season was a disaster for AC Milan—one of the worst in their modern history. They finished 11th in Serie A, just six points above relegation, despite having a squad full of stars.
Among the many problems, goalkeeping inconsistency was a major issue.
Sebastiano Rossi, once a rock in Milan's defense during the early '90s, began to show signs of decline. His reactions slowed, and he became increasingly prone to errors—including a notorious incident that earned him a five-match ban for punching a Piacenza player in the face.
The backline lost faith in him.
With Baresi retiring and Costacurta aging, Milan became more vulnerable—and Rossi's decline only magnified the chaos. Faced with this growing instability, Milan began testing out new options in an effort to restore defensive solidity.
