Season 1995/1996

Conclusions	Players	Matches	Goals
Summary sponsors	Squad Transfers Best Discoveries Disillusions	Best Worst Championship League	Important Catastrophic

Birth of the Third Great Cycle

I have known nothing about "Juventus" just before the season, except the one thing - that Juventus was my favourite football club. From short former season's sportnews round-ups I had some idea about some players - Vialli, Ravanelli, Dechamps, Sousa, Torricelli (his cername was learnt in connection with school physics lessons), Koller and, of course, Roberto Baggio. That's all. And I expected nothing good from new season - it would be too uneasy to Juve to win something. Ajax was considered undefeatable in Champions League at that time, especially in the light of the victory under Milan, which was the best European team from end of eighteens. And exactly Milan was going to take back scudetto in Italy. But what was the worst, Baggio left the team - leader and captain, player, having seen whom in Worldcup 94, I decided to support the club in which he played. He not only left Juventus, but went to Milan... There was no place for aristocratic Baggio in the team called by press "proletarian", where, according to Lippi's strategy, all stars without exception had to take part in defence - perform unpleasant, destroying work.

I remember, when first lap of Champions league group tournament was finished, at the night I waited for summary near TV-set to watch Juve's game with Borussia Dortmund. The game was worth of it. At all, that group tournament befall quite successive to bianco-neri - having won the four first matches and thus having garanteed the first place in group, next two games Juventus played with odd squad.

The things were much worse in serie A (this season of league Calcio inhabitants of Ukraine could watch on the second national TV-channel). Old Signora could chase the pace, set by Milan, only for the first three laps. Then followed draws with Cagliari and Napoli and in the 6th lap the game was lost to the champion title's challenger. All championship was ahead, but it already had been very hard to lay any accounts with scudetto. Especiaaly because of followed knockdown from Lazio 4:0 inyhe 8th lap, and then - lost match to Udinese 0:1. To the finish of the first round Milan was on the top far from the chasers, having gained good point supply. Milan was much stronger than his rivals in that season, and, as I remember, I was quite insulted by the fact, that TV-observer claimed the draw between Juventus and Milan in "Delle Alpi" in second championship's round was a sensation - ah, Milan lost two points, how could it be?

So, in Serie A Old Signora strongly stumbled a few times and floated behind prize places. Really good matches (5:0 against Torino and 1:0 against Inter) alterered with inexpressive (defeats 0:2 from Roma and Sampdoria), but TV-observer constantly used to say that "Juventus is Juventus, no jokes can be, and mistakes are not greeted." Well, at last the first part of this, from some point of view genious, aphorism has a piece of sapience - it would be quite ridiculous, if Juventus was Milan, Lazio or Parma :)... In the second circle bianco-neri played much better, and it allowed them to climb the second position, but not more. Italian cup was sacrificed long ago, so the Champions Cup remained the only thing to battle for. And it had to be got with any means...

As I have mentioned, it was not too difficult to pass through the group tournament, but in quarter-final waited very strong and unpleasant foe - furious from ill play in national championship Real Madrid. Only Peruzzi's perfect abilities saved Juve from big troubles in the first match - the defence of italian champion was tortured by Laudrup, Raul and Zamorano. As to spanish sport newspaper "El Pais" "italian champion appeared in pathetic impression and must much straighten quality of his game two weeks later to obtain a necessary result". There was no other way to win, and "Juventus" did his best. In defiance of numerous forecasts, on his own field Juve did not rush at once into numerous attacks, but preffered tough and bulldog game, blocked Real leaders (among them were absent injured Redondo and Zamorano and disqualified Hierro) and chained his game. As a result in "Delle Alpi" Juventus won 2:0, and appeared in semi-final, where FC Nanntes was passed much easilier.

Towards the final Juventus approached in optimal state. Ajax, as Real in quarter final, did not escaped losses - Reiziger was disqualified, and, the most important, Overmars was injured. His presence, I'm sure, could make great troubles to italian club. So, the 22 of may 1996, "Stadio Olympico", Rome. Ravanelli scored at the beginning of the match, having used the absence of concurrence between van der Saar and Frank de Boer. Ajax controlled the ball more than Juventus, but deutch were not able to benefit from that situation. But at last, in the second half of the match, Litmanen equalized the score. That score did not represent the palpable bulge of Juventus on Ajax - italians could win the game in additional time, but won only after the serie of penalty kicks. Italian players targeted to the corners of the goal, when Davids shooted exactly at the center and Siiloy's intensions were read by Peruzzi.

"We met absolutely unknown team then. Juventus was worth of that Cup. Of course, we were in for a team that would be stronger than Ajax, but we did not expect that it would be so strong. Juventus had more thoughtful deeds, more assurance, and the main - bianco-neri demonstrated more agression, inrush and desire for victory. I realized then, that I want to play for that team", - confessed Davids some years later.

"We did not afford Ajax to express itself, having deprived his players of space. The only thing that I regret, is that we did not win intime", - resumed Marcello Lippi.

Players

Best

1. Alessandro DelPiero.
After summer Baggio leaving a lot of fans were scarried their favourite team's attack to become much weaker. But DelPiero replaced Roberto perfectly, having demonstrated a marvellous game, especially in Champions League. The goal to Real in second quarter-final restored parity among clubs, and in League's group tournament Penturicchio scored in five mathes from the six, and, in fact, the sixth one was a dry draw!

2. Gianluka Vialli.
Real captain, who lead his team through all the season. He made big contribution into the victory under Nanntes in Champions League semi-final, scoring two goals from the four in two matches, and, more than that, opened the score in both semi-finals. It must be admitted here, that after the first semi-final game coach of the french champion Jean-Claude Suodo blamed Vialli that Gianluka had played with an arm just before scored the goal. Vialli quoth proudly:"I'll proove my innocence with deeds. I'll revange Suodo two weeks later." How is well-known to the present moment, those words of captain became oracular - he scored the ball in Nanntes and answered all the questions as to the one of League's finalists.

3. Moreno Toricelli.
Maybe, there were another players, who had even more reasons than Moreno to be called the best, but I would like to put an accent on him. As to my opinion, his desire for struggle and mad energy, in full meaning of these words, make to marvel at him not only Old Signora supporters.

Discoveries

1. Vladimir Jugovic.
Midfield, who came from Sampdoria, during the season from bench-warmer became a player of the first team. Right midfield, he could not only to give a perfect pass but also shoot straight to the goal. Eventually, exactly his penalty kick has brought to Juventus the victory in Champion's League final.

Disillusions

Are absent. Whole team played equally. Champions Cup was won with common entusiasm and hard work. From the other side, there's noone to blame personally for lost championship.

Matches

Best

1.Juventus FC - Real Madrid CF 2:0. (DelPiero, Padovano). Second quarter-final of Champions League.
The best match of the season, as to my mind. After defeat in Madrid 0:1 Juventus took itself in hard circumstanses, but eventually found the powers to won in Turin with the score, which was quite enough to pass through Real. Only Peruzzi's perfect abilities save Juve from big troubles in the first match - the defence of italian champion was tortured by Laudrup, Raul and Zamorano. As to spanish newspaper "El Pais" "italian champion appeared in pathetic impression and must much straighten quality of his game two weeks later to obtain a necessary result". There was no other way to win, and "Juventus" did his best. In defiance of numerous forecasts, on his own field Juve did not rush at once into numerous attacks, but preffered tough and bulldog game, blocked Real leaders (among them were absent injured Redondo and Zamorano and disqualified Hierro) and chained his game. Perfect match, as to the football quality and struggle heat, evidenced with red cards shown to Toriccelli and Carranka. It will be untrue, if I say that bianco-neri totally controlled the game and were better than spainish team from all sides, but result was in favour of italian team, and this result was less important only than that one of the League's final, which was won only after penalty serie and was not so certain.

2.Juventus FC - SS Lazio 4:2. 25 lap of Italian championship.
During the game Juventus was loosing 0:2, but found powers not only to make the score equal, but even to take a masterful win. Without any objections, it was the best Old Signora's match in Serie A, may be, brilliant not with the game itself, but with plot of the match and demonstrated desire to win.

3.Borussia Dortmund - Juventus FC 1:3. First match of Champions League group tournament.
On the first minutes of the match Juve missed the goal, and it could not be called a successive begining of the european season. But then the ball a three times passed through the goal of german champion.

Worst

1.SS Lazio - Juventus FC 4:0. 8 lap of Italian championship.
2.Juventus FC - UC Sampdoria 0:3. 30 lap of Italian championship.
Both matches were lost with great dry score. If they are not worst matches, what then?

Serie A matches

Fife best teams of championship

Champions League matches

Group tournament

Borussia Dortmund - Juventus FC 1:3 (DelPiero'?, Lombardo'?, Conte'?).
Juventus FC - Steua 3:0 (DelPiero'?, Conte'?, Ravanelli'?).
Juventus FC - Glasgo Rangers 4:1 (DelPiero'?, Ravanelli'?, Conte'?).
Glasgo Rangers - Juventus FC 0:4 (DelPiero'?, Ravanelli'?, Torricelli'?, Marocchi'?).
Juventus FC - Borussia Dortmund 1:2 (DelPiero'?).
Steua - Juventus FC 0:0.

Quarter-final

Real Madrid CF - Juventus FC 1:0.
Juventus FC - Real Madrid CF 2:0 (DelPiero'17, Padovano'?).

Semifinal

Juventus FC - FC Nanntes 2:0 (Vialli'49, Jugovic'66).
FC Nanntes - Juventus FC 3:2 (Vialli'17, Sousa'51).

Final

AFC Ajax - Juventus FC 1:1 (ï.4:2) (Ravanelli'13)(P.: Ferrara, Pessotto, Padovano, Jugovic).

Goals

Most important

1. AFC Ajax - Juventus FC 1:1. Ravanelli. Champions League final. To SEE the goal CLICK HERE!
Undoubtly, the most important goal of the season - if not that goal, Juventus probably would not got the second Champions Cup in history. Although it was not victorious, it's value can't be underrated - had been scored almost at the beginning of the match, it gave psychologic and game advantage to bianco-neri. And, of course, we should not forget about it's beauty - the ball crossed the line of the empty goal almost from zero angle.

2. Juventus - Real Madrid CF 2:0. Padovano. Champions League second quarter-final.
It was a draw 1:1 (in two matches fight) between Real and Juve before Michael's goal. Due to this ball Juventus came through the spanish club and appeared in semi-final, where he had not great troubles in matches against FC Nanntes.

Catastrophic

1. Ajax - Juventus 1:1. Litmanen. Champions League final. To SEE the goal CLICK HERE!
Finn equalized the score in League's final, and this ball could turn the game into another way. In any case, it turned it into penalty lottery, which could be won by each team. Thanks to God, Juventus was better in that component of the game.

Squad

Sure players of the first team are colored with blue, players frequently represented in first team - with green, rare representsd - with white.

Transfers

sponsors

Technical	Official in Serie A	Official in Champions League

Conclusions

Mark: 10 (from 15)
Realisation of opportunities: 67%

For sure, this season was successive. Of course, national championship was lost, but Champions Cup, I think, became quite good contribution for scudetto. We know, that in Italy inner championship is appreciated more than any european tournament, but who will call the season as unfortunate, if Champions Cup was conquered?
Had Juve any chances to win scudetto? I do not think so. Milan was very strong at that time. The only wonder to me is how rosso-neri missed UEFA Cup then. They should underrate the strength of Zidane's and Dugarry's Bordeaux very much...