The death of Franco Baresi, who died on Friday, July 31 at the age of 66, continues to generate tributes in the world of football. One of them was from Mexico, where Hugo Sánchez dedicated an emotional message to say goodbye to the historic captain of AC Milan, whom he considered one of the most difficult rivals of his career.
The former Real Madrid forward took to his social networks to express his condolences for the death of the former Italian defender, who died at the age of 66 and left an indelible mark on both the Rossonero club and the Italian national team.
Hugo Sánchez's message for Franco Baresi
Through his official account, Hugo Sánchez remembered Franco Baresi with a message in which he highlighted his quality on the field of play and sent his condolences to the former footballer's family.
"I am very sorry for the death of Franco Baresi, legend of Italian football and AC Milan. A hug to his family and friends. May he rest in peace."
In addition to dismissing him, the Mexican described him as one of the strongest defenders he had to face during his career in European football, a sign of the respect that both built as rivals.
Hugo Sánchez and Franco Baresi starred in unforgettable duels
The careers of Hugo Sánchez and Franco Baresi coincided in one of the most competitive eras of European football. One of the most memorable confrontations occurred in the semifinals of the European Champions Cup in the 1988-89 season.
In that tie, Real Madrid faced AC Milan, with Sánchez as the Spanish team's offensive reference and Baresi as the leader of the Italian defense. Although the Mexican striker scored in the first leg, the Rossonero team sealed their qualification with a resounding 5-0 victory in the second leg.
Those meetings reinforced Franco Baresi's reputation as one of the best defenders of his generation and consolidated a relationship of mutual respect between both footballers.
Hugo Sánchez's tribute remembers Baresi's legacy
The admiration between the two legends transcended their time as rivals. In 1997, Hugo Sánchez was one of the guests at Franco Baresi's farewell match at the San Siro stadium, where he shared the field with other international figures to pay tribute to the historic captain of AC Milan.
Baresi played 719 games for the Italian team, won six Serie A titles, three European Cups and was world champion with the Italian team in the 1982 World Cup in Spain.
