For all teams in Europe, the attempts on the Mitropa Cup and Latin Cup had become less and less important toward the late 1950s, as the Union of European Football Associations had developed new ideas for what would be the next generation of what they believed to be the right formula for a new cup. In 1955, a new cup was introduced with the intent to capture the attention of all footballers and fans across Europe, appropriately called the “Cup of Champions.” Like all teams at the time, the Rossoneri would participate that year, as the winning team of the Italian national title (scudetto). The cup tournament would become an immediate favorite as it would take on the scheme of knockout and double-leg matches that will remain in force until the nineties.
The first clubs to participate would be a total of sixteen. As the tournament progressed, it would go on to the expected ‘eighths’ of the final, then quarterfinals, semi-final and the final. Important note, was that the final would be played on neutral grounds, where neither team could play with a home field advantage. Needless to say, the importance of this cup for every Rossoneri and milanista, would become one that would become forever ingrained in AC Milan’s DNA.
The first edition of the Champions League did not have any British teams. Of the starting sixteen european teams, seven were national championship title holders: Anderlecht, Arhus, Djurgàrdens, Milan, Real Madrid, Stade De Reims and Essen. The absence of British teams were evident, in fact, the national champions Wolverhampton Wanderers had gone ahead to self-proclaim themselves as the strongest team in Europe after having beaten Honved of Budapest in a friendly. It was only after four years that the British suddenly became convinced that it was necessary compete with the rest of Europe (teams they considered to be inferior).
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