Arsenal
After such a close-run end to this seasons Serie A, recollections of championship run-ins of the previous can’t assist however spring to thoughts. As I watched the rain halt play in Inter’s latest match towards Torino, I used to be instantly taken again to the dramatic remaining day of the 1999-2000 season in Perugia.
Juventus travelled to Perugia on that remaining day in data {that a} win could be sufficient to seal the title. Their slender lead had solely lately been minimize down. The Bianconeri had a five-point benefit over second-place Lazio with simply three fixtures remaining.
Lazio have been hoping for what nearly amounted to a miracle as they chased the second Scudetto of their historical past. The twenty-five-time champions Juve alternatively, had been over this course earlier than. Nonetheless, an uncharacteristic stumble had seen Carlo Ancelotti’s Juve go from 5 clear, to main by simply two.
A victory over Parma of their penultimate sport meant that Juventus simply wanted a victory towards Perugia within the remaining sport. Lazio may solely do their job and win over Reggina, then hope that Perugia may do them an enormous favour. Historical past wouldn’t supply a lot in the way in which of hope for Sven-Goran Eriksson’s males from the capital. They went into the ultimate day of the earlier marketing campaign in an analogous place. A win over Parma at Stadio Olimpico meant any dropped factors by Milan of their remaining sport would ship the title to Rome. Milan have been victorious of their match to carry the title, defeating a sure Perugia to take action.
A yr later, Perugia would once more discover themselves within the place of potential king-makers to Lazio. Juventus had comfortably dispatched Perugia within the reverse fixture again in January of that yr. Alessandro Del Piero had the hosts forward in Turin because of a primary half penalty. Some sheen was utilized to the ultimate rating of 3-0 with Zinedine Zidane and Darko Kovacevic each scoring within the dying embers of the sport to seal the factors.
One other Juventus win would seal their twenty sixth Serie A title. A draw, together with a Lazio win, would pressure a play-off for the title. Defeat for Juve coupled with a Lazio victory would see Eriksson’s aspect named champions.
The ultimate day bought underway and Lazio hit the entrance towards Reggina within the Roman sunshine, sending them effectively on their strategy to a snug three factors. It was clear from an early stage that if there have been to be remaining day drama, it must are available in Perugia. It was round that time that Mom Nature determined she needed to get entangled within the late season theatre.
While Lazio have been comfortably forward of their sport, Juventus have been locked at 0-0 with Perugia. Filipo Inzaghi had come closest to breaking the impasse within the opening 45-minutes with a shot that flashed throughout the face of dwelling aspect’s goalmouth. The groups went in degree on the interval and as they did, a monsoon-like downpour started to fall from the Umbrian sky. With water deciding on the sector and pooling considerably in some areas, the choice was taken to delay the re-start of the sport.
As phrase reached Rome, the sport there was additionally briefly placed on maintain in a bid to have each matches being performed out concurrently. Nonetheless, Lazio resumed their sport first after a brief delay while there was a wait of over an hour in Perugia. Referee Pierluigi Collina was ready to be affected person in his efforts to avoid wasting the match from postponement and he lastly gave the go-ahead to the restart. A call which didn’t seem to sit down effectively with the league leaders.
The motion resumed on a now sodden Stadio Renato Curi pitch and nearly instantly, there was one other big title twist. Lazio had already accomplished a 3-0 win again in Rome which means Juventus nonetheless wanted a win to carry the title.
The rainwater laying on the turf was splashing up each time a participant planted their foot on the bottom. Rainwater exploded into the air each time the ball bounced on the sector such was the situation of the pitch. Simply over 4 minutes after the restart, Perugia made an enormous splash of their very own.
A ball into the Juventus field was not handled correctly as a weak Antonio Conte header went straight to Perugia defender Alessandro Calori within the field. The defender managed the ball on his chest earlier than firing a right-foot shot into the underside nook of Edwin Van Der Sar’s internet. It was a aim extra in-keeping together with his namesake Del Piero on the opposing group than Marco Materazzi’s defensive colleague Calori.
Juve have been clearly pissed off concerning the state of the pitch as they immediately discovered themselves scrambling to ship the title race to a play-off. They have been additionally being pissed off by a resolute dwelling aspect who clearly regarded determined to disclaim their opponents. Perugia have been no mugs having lengthy since made secure their place within the league, ending in tenth place. The Juve job then grew even higher as Gianluca Zambrotta picked up a purple card.
In the meantime, again in Rome the Lazio followers have been nonetheless at Stadio Olimpico, within the stands and everywhere in the pitch. The Biancocelesti gamers adopted occasions from Perugia within the dressing room. Regardless of being right down to ten-men, Juventus have been pushing for an equaliser. Because the clock hit the 90-minute mark, they handed up a wonderful alternative. Edgar Davids despatched a protracted ball ahead which was headed on to Inzaghi. The Juve striker was on their lonesome proper within the centre of aim however someway manged to carry his effort over the crossbar from the penalty spot. What ‘La Vecchia Signora’ would give for a type of late strikes that they managed towards the identical opponents earlier within the marketing campaign.
Inzaghi’s was the final actual likelihood for the Bianconeri and Collina’s whistle introduced an finish to the sport, sparking wild celebrations amongst the Lazio followers again in Rome. There was even a pitch invasion by Perugia followers as they greeted their aspect’s impression on the title race.
The choice to renew the Juventus sport regardless of the situations was a controversial one and the circumstance stay so till at the present time. The late Sven-Goran Eriksson would later credit score referee Collina for having the power in his conviction to play the second half within the face of robust Juve protestations to have the match deserted.
Former Perugia striker Alessandro Melli performed within the sport and he lately claimed in an interview that there was an try by some gamers to comply with a draw pre-match. That will have assured Juve a play-off however Melli claimed a number of Juve gamers rejected the supply.
There have additionally been claims made about Perugia proprietor on the time Luciano Gaucci. It’s alleged that Gaucci, no stranger to a little bit of controversy, had ties to Lazio and had provided his gamers a bonus in the event that they denied Juve the title. Melli additionally claims that Gaucci threatened to take the Perugia gamers to a coaching camp in China as punishment if they’d misplaced.
The main points of that wet afternoon in Perugia are nonetheless debated to at the present time. It was a dramatic finale to the marketing campaign and a reminder that with regards to Serie A, something is feasible and controversy is rarely far-off.
