Season 1996/1997

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

Exorcizing the Devil

The first match, with which this season started for me, was the game of Champions League against Manchester United on "Delle Alpi" - I remember it vividly. The first impression: what have they done with the team? What they have done with the best club of Europe? I stared on bianco-neri players, while League's hymn was playing, and could not recognize their faces. Here's Peruzzi, here's Ferrara, Deschamps, DelPiero... Who the thunder are the others? And where are Vialli, Ravanelli, Sousa, Verhowod? Where are the people, who brought Champions Cup to Turin?... No, of coures, I knew that club's bosses refused to prolong Vialli's contract and he had to go, but the absence of others became a surprise. And when TV-observer said that they had been sold, I was disappointed and vexed. I recognized Boksic among Juve players, but it would be impossible to replace sold stars with the single one, and names of other new players, with which TV-observer introduced - Zidane, Vieri, Montero - said nothing to me and did not give any hope... The following game broke my dreads. It was one of the best matches in that season. Alex Fergusson confessed some years later that those Juventus became a gauge for him, according to which he created his team that won Champions Cup in 1999 and that defeated in semi-final injured Juventus of Ancelotti... But in that night Old Signora smothered the red devils, having catched their throats with bony arm of hard pressing. New bianco-neri players would soon frighten all the Europe...

So, European season started successefully. At all in that group tournament five matches of the six were won (except the game against "Rapid" in Vienna), and it must be admitted that the players of main squad had possibility to rest, as a year before. The other thing, that it was quite fuzzy concepts of the "main" and "odd" squad during this season.

The great variations of club's first team players became a distinctive feature of Juventus-97, but it was caused not only with Lippi's strategy or whim. I think, that Juve's attack in this season should consist of Boksic, Vieri and DelPiero behind them, and Zidane would be not playmaker but some other midfield, may be left. It can be seen mainly from the match with Manchester. But life showed it's point of view - DelPiero was injured for a long time and had been curing his wounds till the League's final, ànd Boksic was chased with less serious but numerous injures... As a result Zidane became a playmaker, and stable place in attack got only Vieri, assisted with periodically appeared DelPiero and Boksic or with ambitious Padovano and Amoruso. So constant shift of the forwards is clearly seen from the table of season scorers , where, on the contrary of tradition, the best scorer is absent - DelPiero, Vieri and Padovano scored for 8 times (totally 24, exactly near this nimber of balls the best striker of Serie A usually has), and in the League Boksic, Vieri, DelPiero and Amoruso scored for 4 times. Lippi also had the great variety of players both in midfield and in defence, for 2-3 players to one position. First of all, exactly the presence of such wide alternative gave the possibility to pass through the season without serious cadre problems. Decrease in the play at the season's finish was caused, as far as I can be a judge, with come-down of players's physical form and/or with some psycho-emotional factors, but not with cadre problems.

Bianco-neri boldly stepped to the final in Champions League, having lost neither a single game and having got a draw result only twice in ten matches. In Serie A "Juventus" reached the top, having replaced Vicenza, which unexpectedly headed the championship before, after gaining of Intercontinental Cup and then never fell. But exactly that decrease in play could cause scudetto's lost, when in the 32th lap only referee's mistake and accurate Amoruso's hit from 11 meters saved Old Signora from Parma, which could chase bianco-neri in the case of success. After all, scudetto has returned to Turin, but Champions Cup left for Dortmund...

Players

Best

1. Alen Boksic.
My choise is not only unobvious, but also quite contentious, and I agree with this. But, admitting groatian forward as the best player, I accent first of all on the use that he has distributed to the team. If not injures, I'm sure, Boksic would show better play and scored more goals than he did, because three balls for the season in championship is catastrophical result for the forward. But the thing is that when Alen used to take part in the game, he not just scored, but scored very important balls. Exactly his right shoots brought to Old Signora minimal victories under Manchester in Turin and under Fenerbahce in Bosphorian hell and became a base of future successive performance in the League. And it is possible that scudetto would not appear in Turin without his goal to stubborn Bologna in "Rinato DelAra" in the 28th lap... At last (of it's bad consolation), he did his best in League final - precisely from his fine pass DelPiero scored the only goal... About aknowledgment of Alen's perfect play speaks the fact that, in spite of goal's lack, "Lazio" took him back, having paid about 5 millions $ more than recieved for him a year before...

2,3. Zinnedine Zidane, Cristian Vieri.
Exactly these two new persons became the main players in Juve's attack - it's brain and sword. Zidane was called to replace Sousa, ànd Vieri - Vialli, and both of them resolved the task.

Discoveries

1,2. Zinnedine Zidane, Cristian Vieri.
These just good players appeared into real stars during the season and became leaders of the team. For pity, Cristian has left the club in the summer of 1997. From various sources the reason was either conflict with Lippi or greediness of Juve bosses. In fact, even Ravanelli recognized that had never played in Juventus so successefully...

3. Paolo Montero.
This player replaced Verhowod, and quite successively. For many years captain of Uruguay's national team on the nick-name "concrete man" became a symbol of the strength of Old Signora's defence.

4. Nicola Amoruso.
I think, having rid of Ravanelli and Vialli, Juve bosses bought at once three players - Boksic, Vieri and Amoruso - to insure against problems in the attack line. The composition of experience and youth was successive. About Alen's and Cristian's achievements I already has said. Nicola also did not spoiled the game and always used his chance. So, Milan in "San Siro" and Ajax in Amsterdam were shooted by tandem Vieri-Amoruso.

Disillusions

Are absent. All newcomers were approved theirselves perfectly and there is noone to blame for lost League's final.

Matches

Best

1. AC Milan - Juventus FC 1:6. 26th lap of Italian championship.
It was one of the biggest Milan's defeats on the own field "San Siro". Paris-Saint-Germain in European Supercup was smashed with the same score, but PSG is not principal rival - I think that Juve supporters would be quite satisfied even if Juventus won Supercup with minimal advantage. On the contrary, on the shameful Milan's defeat lays rich with events, but not with mutual adore, history of the most famous italian football clubs. This victory was not very important in tournament, but it more than just a match of the season - it is really great historical event.

2. Juventus FC - AFC Ajax 4:1. The second Champions League semi-final.
23th of April 1997 is considered by some specialists as the end of van Gaal's era in Ajax history. In this day deutch superclub farewelled with Champions League for some years, having lost in "Delle Alpi". The midfields of italian team, headed by Zidane, were easy cutting guest's weak defence, ànd deutch attack was pathetically trying to find holes in the tactical constractions of Old Signora. Though Ajax was much weaker than a year before, nobody forecast such smash of the deutch champion, because some Juve leaders missed the match in different reasons.
"We were not going to teach them how to play," - almost explained away Marcello Lippi at press-conference after the match. - "The only our purpose was to win." One way or another, Italian press was impressed:"We worshipy Lippi and his players... "

3. Juventus FC - FC Hellas Verona 3:2. 13th lap of Italian championship.
Team from Verona has already lead two balls in the first half, but Porrini scored once, and then two DelPiero's goals brought victory to Juventus. Juventus vividly demonstrated champion's will in this game.

4. Juventus FC - Manchester United 1:0. 1st lap of Champions League group tournament.
Perfect match, as for the struggle so for the plot, which demonstrated the potential of the new team at the beginning of the season. This match is described in summary.

Worst

1. Juventus FC - Parma AFC 1:1. 32th lap of Italian championship.
This match was considered to be a final struggle for scudetto - in case of victory "Parma" had all chances to become a champion. But when finished, the game was called as "anti-football and the most ugly match of the season" . For all the game Old Signora shooted at rival's goal only twice and Parma even not once. Zidane and Montero helped Parma to score, having push the ball into own goal with common efforts after a corner. "Juventus" revanged even in more ridiculous manner than missed - Vieri jumped trying to reach the ball after high cross but failed and fell. Pierlouigi Collina, who judged the match, saw the break of the rules and appointed a penalty cick although Cristian was not touched by any Parma's player. The absense of rule's break was obvious to everyone but referee. Of course, bianco-neri did not object against such a stroke of luck, and Amoruso did not miss. As to the result, it was almost victory, but as to the game, really, it might be the worst Juve's match in the season, the warning before League's final...

2. Borussia Dortmund - Juventus FC 3:1. Champions League Final.
If the match "Juventus" - "Parma" can be called the worst from a point of view of the game's quality, this match is the worst exactly from a point of view of the result - what can be more worse than defeat in Champions League final, especially in case of quite good game? Of course, it was not ideal, in difference with many games of this season, but the match could turn another way... From 6th to 25th minute Juventus could score for 4 times. But Vieri twice, and then DiLivio and Jugovic had a lack of accuracy. And in one episode, trying to get the ball off, Zammer played with an arm, but Shandor Pool, referee from Hungary, was afraid to appoint dangerous kick just near the goal - italians were boiled about it. Having taken the initiative, Juve closed german players near their goal and did not let them to breath. "Borussia" only struggled, but unlike "Juventus", did not missed it's rare chances. Two german attacks ended with corners, and twice Riedle scored. After that Zidane hit the bar, and Vieri shooted under cross-piece, and then scored, but that goal was annulated by arbiter, which at this time for some purpose saw a play with an arm. Lippi used his Joker after half-time, having cast just cured DelPiero, and he scored after Boksic served from the left wing a perfect assist. It seemed that Juventus would find the powers to win. But Boksic and Vieri had been down to their resources, ànd DelPiero more cluttered, than helped Zidane, trying to organize attacks. In addition, arbiter one and then punished italian players for the fouls that frequently used to forgive to german... And in the 71th minute Rikken scored, having answered all the questions.
Coach of Juventus said in after match press-conference:"Our players were eased off with the victory in national championship. They unconciously have lost vigilance, aplombed in their powers. And that's not good circumstance in the matches of this kind. And yet we had tough luck. I do not think that we made some mistakes while prepearing for final. Apparently, it was not our day" . "Tough luck," - resumed Marcello Lippi. - "Two shoots at the bar and arguable refering were determined the result." As to the refering, vice-president of Juventus Roberto Bettega was more abrupt: "We were playing not only against UEFA, that is much stronger than we, in this final - they had prepeared all before. And referee had to find a great courage to fix obvious penalty. We express our dissent to the referee's decissions..." This dissent was heard, but it was impossible anything to change...

3. Juventus FC - Udinese Calcio 0:3. 27th lap of Italian championship.
The most shamous defeat in championship, on the own field. Both Vieri and Zidane missed from penalty kicks.

Serie A matches

Final table of Serie A

Scorers

Champions League Matches

Group tournament

Juventus FC - Manchester United 1:0 (Boksic'34).
Fenerbahce - Juventus FC 0:1 (Boksic'?).
Rapid Vienna - Juventus FC 1:1 (Vieri'9).
Juventus FC - Rapid Vienna 5:0 (Boksic'4'59, Montero'27, DelPiero'29'75).
Manchester United - Juventus FC 0:1 (DelPiero'36(P)).
Juventus FC - Fenerbahce 2:0 (Padovano'42, Amoruso'85).

Quarter-final

Rusenborg - Juventus FC 1:1. (Vieri'53).
Juventus FC - Rusenborg 2:0 (Zidane'29, Amoruso'90(P)).

Semifinal

AFC Ajax - Juventus FC 1:2 (Amoruso'14, Vieri'41).
Juventus FC - AFC Ajax 4:1 (Lombardo'34, Vieri'36, Amoruso'79, Zidane'81).

Final

Borussia Dortmund - Juventus FC 3:1 (DelPiero'64).

European Supercup Matches

ParisSaintGermain - Juventus FC 1:6 (Porrini'4, Padovano'?'?, Ferrara'?, Lombardo'?, Amoruso'?).
Juventus FC - ParisSaintGermain 3:1 (DelPiero'36'70, Vieri'91).

Intercontinental Cup

Juventus FC - River Plate (Argenteen) 1:0 (DelPiero'?).

Goals

Most Important

1. Juventus FÑ - Parma AFC 1:1. Amoruso. 32th lap of Italian championship.
Amoruso, having scored from penalty kick, which was the referee's mistake, equalized the score and unoficially brought the twenty fourth scudetto to "Juventus".

2. Atalanta - Juventus FC 1:1. Juliano. 33th lap of Italian championship.
Amoruso's goal was a knockdown to main Old Signora's competitor, and the Juliano's one in the next lap oficially proclaimed Juventus as the champion of Italy in the season of 1996/1997.

3. Juventus FC - Manchester United 1:0. Boksic. First lap of Champions League group tournament.
Thanks to this goal the win under the main competitor for group's first place was conquered and the first victory in the new European season was gained.

Catastrophic

1. Borussia - Juventus 3:1. Rikken'71 Champions League Final.
The third goal of german team buried all hopes of "Juventus" for the third Champions Cup.

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: 12 (from 17)
Realisation of opportunities: 71%

One more successeful season, which only was spoiled in a part with lost Champions League final. But European Supercup, Intercontinental Cup and, the most important, scudetto were won!
The team of the season 1996/1997 was different from the team, which won scudetto and Italian cup in 1995 and Champions Cup in 1996. But, unfortunatelly, it existed only during one season. Guardians Porrini, Lombardo and Jugovic left Juventus in the summer of 1997, and former newcomers Vieri and Boksic followed them... Finally, the team-97 surved as a foundation of the new team-98, which eventually was formed after coming of Inzaghi and Davids and which existed with some little changes till the second Lippi's coming, till the spring of 2001, and which achieved the same results, but for 4 years...
Exactly the squad of 96/97 years I suppose to be the best for all the third great Juve's cycle. It is the team, which lost none international match before unthincable final, the team, which tore rivals into pieces - Milan and PSG 6:1, Rapid Vienna - 5:0, AFC Ajax - 4:1... At last, it is the team, which won European Supercup with total score 9:2(!), and - think! - after Juventus the Champions Cup owners could not win this trophey for 5 years!