Milan recalled Dida and named him their 2000–01 Champions League starter with first-choice Christian Abbiati on international duty with Italy at the 2000 Summer Olympics. His "Rossoneri" debut was a 4–1 group stage victory over Beşiktaş on 13 September 2000, but six days later, against Leeds United at a rain-soaked Elland Road, he accidentally dropped a Lee Bowyer strike into his own goal, causing Milan to lose the match 1–0. His explanation was that he attempted to absorb the force of the shot and then catch hold of it, but the ball dropped into a puddle and bounced into the net. He started the remaining group stage games and kept his first clean sheet for Milan in a 2–0 win over Barcelona on 26 September, but was then replaced by Abbiati for the second group stage. Dida made his first Serie A start in a 2–0 November loss to Parma, and was unable to beat out Rossi for the starting position after Abbiati was injured. He did not play again save for Milan's 2–0 loss to Galatasaray—who featured his idol Taffarel in goal—on 7 March 2001, as the "Rossoneri" were eliminated from the Champions League.