▁four ▁Sc ud etti ▁in ▁five ▁seasons , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁the ▁UEFA ▁Champions ▁League ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 4 . ▁ ▁Following ▁their ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁Sc ud etto ▁victory , ▁Milan ▁sharp ly ▁decl ined ▁there after , ▁finishing ▁ 1 1 th ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁and ▁t enth ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 8 , ▁as ▁Ros si ' s ▁own ▁career ▁decl ined ▁and ▁saw ▁him ▁batt ling ▁Mass imo ▁Ta ib i ▁for ▁the ▁top ▁spot . ▁During ▁round ▁ 1 7 ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 8 – 9 9 ▁season , ▁Milan ▁were ▁leading ▁A . C . ▁Per ug ia ▁Cal cio ▁ 2 – 0 ▁when ▁they ▁conced ed ▁a ▁late ▁penalty . ▁After ▁H id et oshi ▁Nak ata ▁converted ▁it , ▁team mate ▁Crist ian ▁Buc chi ▁was ▁struck ▁from ▁behind ▁by ▁Ros si ▁while ▁retr ieving ▁the ▁ball ▁from ▁the ▁back ▁of ▁the ▁net . ▁Ros si ▁was ▁sent ▁off ▁and ▁later ▁was ▁pun ished ▁with ▁a ▁five - match ▁ban . ▁ ▁After ▁be ating ▁out ▁new com er ▁J ens ▁Le h mann ▁( who ▁would ▁leave ▁after ▁playing ▁only ▁five ▁matches ) ▁for ▁the ▁number - one ▁j er sey ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 8 – 9 9 , ▁Ros si ▁was ▁ultimately ▁us ur ped ▁by ▁up start ▁Christian ▁Abb i ati , ▁who ▁had ▁replaced ▁him ▁in ▁the ▁Per ug ia ▁match . ▁ ▁Per ug ia ▁/