The season was preceded by a series of important changes, starting at the top: Andrea Rizzoli took over from Umberto Trabattoni as Club President. Under Béla Guttmann, Gunnar Nordahl became captain of a team that was boosted by the high-profile arrivals of Ricagni, Maldini and Juan Alberto Schiaffino, the latter of whom had won the World Cup with Uruguay in 1950. The Rossoneri got off to a great start in Serie A, recording seven consecutive wins and building a six-point lead at the top after ten games. At the halfway stage, the Diavolo sat four points ahead of second-place Bologna and six in front of Roma and Fiorentina, who were joint third. AC Milan then stuttered slightly as they fell to successive defeats against Triestina and Sampdoria, after which Guttmann was replaced by Héctor Puricelli, who had played for the Club between 1945 and 1949. The team then went on an eight-game unbeaten run to extend their advantage in first place, but consecutive losses to Roma and Udinese opened the title race back up, with the Friulani hot on the Rossoneri's heels. However, just as things were getting difficult, the Diavolo were able to put together four consecutive wins and, in the process, score 21 goals, nine of which came from Nordahl - the division's top scorer that season with 27. This run of victories secured a fifth Scudetto title for AC Milan, who would thus take part in the first-ever European Cup the following campaign.
