Middlesbrough's narrow 1-0 win over Chelsea in the quarter-finals of the EFL Cup signaled that they are expected to taste the glory of the top trophy again after 20 years. The Championship side had a glorious run in the mid-1990s, not only bringing in two star players in Zuleno and Lavinari, but also reaching the EFL Cup final in '97 and '98 for two consecutive years. Now, under the leadership of Manchester United star Cavanagh, they are expected to repeat that glory.
In 1994, Middlesbrough recruited the legendary Manchester United footballer, Bryan Kasumi, to take charge of the club and expanded their squad on a large scale. One of the highlights was the acquisition of Brazilian star Zulianu in 1995 for a then-record £4.75 million, with the midfielder known as 'Little Big Man' adding to the fun of the Premier League with his superb footwork.
In 1996, Middlesbrough signed Lavinari, a goal scorer from Serie A side Juventus, and the Italian "white head" scored 16 goals in 33 appearances in his first season in the Premier League, but unfortunately the team was eventually relegated. England's "bad boy" Gasciani joined Middlesbrough in 1998 and also attracted a lot of attention, but by that time he had already entered a low point in his career.
