To redeem the lack of Champions League qualification in the previous season, AC Milan got to work in the transfer window. On the one hand, there were several goodbyes, between retirements (Cafu, Fiori and Serginho) and transfers (Gilardino, Oddo and Ronaldo); on the other, there were important additions, with returns from loans (Abbiati, Antonini and Borriello), the signings of Flamini and Zambrotta and most exciting, the purchase of Ronaldinho. The team started the league with two defeats but reacted immediately, collecting points in the following eleven successive games: A streak which brought Milan to the top of the league by the tenth match. To follow were victories over Napoli and Inter, as Ronaldinho scored his first goal. A few too many draws put some distance between Milan and the top of the table; by the halfway point of the season, they found themselves in third place. January also saw the arrival of LA Galaxy star, David Beckham, and saw the Rossoneri march on with two fine victories away at Bologna and Lazio. Defeats against Inter and Sampdoria, however, meant the Rossoneri would need the following nine results to go their way to secure a spot in the Champions League. They managed third place with 74, skipping the qualifying round, on the last day with a 2-0 victory at Firenze, Paolo Maldini's last professional match.
AC Milan also progressed in Europe, beating Zurich in the qualifier, before coming second to Wolfsburg in the group, ahead of Braga, Portsmouth and Heerenveen: the four group stage matches saw two Rossoneri wins in the inaugural matches (away at Heerenveen and in San Siro against Braga) and two draws, one in England against Portsmouth and the other at home to Wolfsburg. In the UEFA Cup, the Rossonero journey was cut short by Werder Bremen in the round of 32, after draws in both legs meant AC Milan exited due to the away goals rule.
