The UEFA Cup. And it was really an Italian year – at the final, two Italian teams, making 4 Italian clubs total at the European finals. Juventus vs Fiorentina. Both teams permitted to be beaten only once on the road to the final, but Juventus had it tougher, yet, seemingly stronger campaign – they eliminated Gornik Zabrze (Poland) 1-0 and 4-2, Paris SG (France) 1-0 and 2-1, Karl-Marx-Stadt (DDR) 2-1 and 1-0, Hamburger SV (West Germany) 2-0 (in Hamburg) and 1-2 (in Turin), and finally 1. FC Koln (West Germany) 3-2 and 0-0. Fiorentina was… economical: Atletico Madrid (Spain) 0-1, 1-0 and 3-1 in the penalty shoot-out, Sochaux (France) 0-0 and 1-1 (away), Dinamo Kiev (USSR) 1-0 and 0-0, Auxerre (France) 1-0 and 1-0, and in the ½ finals Werder (West Germany) 1-1 (away) and 0-0. Fiorentina never scored more than a single goal in a game, but in addition they were punished for fan violence by UEFA and had to play their home games in Peruggia all the way to the final, where they had to play home game at least 300 km from Florence, for the fans – and it seems also the club itself – did not take the punishment seriously. Yes, the English clubs were still banished from playing in the European tournaments, but violence already spread far and wide and was not only English problem anymore. The ½ finals, however, stated clearly who was on top of European football now: if 10 years ago West German clubs prevailed and reached finals, now the Italians eliminated the iron West Germans and made all-Italian final. The final, however, was unpredictable, but more for out of the field reasons – Juventus looked like having an advantage not only because Fiorentina was not able to play at home, but also because of rumors of Roberto Baggio going to Juventus (and he transferred shortly after the finals, to the great displeasure of Fiorentina’s fans). But on the other hand Dino Zoff was already informed that his coaching contract with Juventus was not going to be extended and the finals were his last games – hardly a motivation for both coach and team. Of course, Juventus was not in great shape recently and the transfers of Soviet stars Aleynikov and especially Zavarov were huge failure. Zavarov was no longer with Juventus, but the team did not improve much, even if winning the Italian Cup. Somewhat, pluses and minuses canceled each other and the there was no real favourite at the final.
As the games went… Juventus took full advantage from his home match and won it 3-1. Two early goals were seemingly crucial, but the game was ugly both on the pitch and on the stands. It was summed as ‘constant verbal and physical abuse’ and the press urged the Italian Federation to sanction all involved, that is both clubs, but… the Federation decided to postpone decision after the second leg of the final. Everybody will be sanctioned, especially 4 players of Fiorentina, but later. And the teams traveled to distant Avellino for the second leg. By now observers were pretty certain that Juventus already won the UEFA Cup – Fiorentina had to look for particular result: to score a minimum of 2 goals and permit nil, but since they never scored more than 1 goal on the road to the final, the task of scoring a minimum of 2 goals seems entirely fantastic. The second leg was as ugly as the first, despite the warnings and threats by official bodies: 7 yellow cards were shown and Bruno (Juventus) was expelled in the 58th minute. Juventus, as it turned out, played its record 200th game in the European tournaments and celebrated the occasion by playing deep defense. Moving across the central line into enemy half was not in their books and as a result there was a grand total of 5 shoots toward both nets – 3 times Fiorentina, twice Juventus. Only Roberto Baggio came close to actual scoring, but Tacconi saved. It was not a match to remember and ended 0-0. Juventus won the UEFA Cup.
Well, the pictures tell it all – a lot of kicking and battling, very little football.
Tacconi lifted the UEFA Cup,
Juventus celebrated their victory…
Final 1st Leg, Stadio Comunale, Turin, 2 May 1990, att 45000
Juventus (1) 3 AC Fiorentina (1) 1
3′ 1-0 J: Galia
10′ 1-1 F: Buso
59′ 2-1 J: Casiraghi
73′ 3-1 J: De Agostini
Juventus: Tacconi; Napoli, De Agostini, Galia, Bruno (Alessio 46); Bonetti, Aleinikov,
Barros, Marocchi; Casiraghi, Schillaci
AC Fiorentina: Landucci; Dell’Oglio, Volpecina, Pin, Battistini; Dunga, Nappi, Kubik (Malusci 87),
Baggio; Buso, Di Chiara
Referee: Aladren (Spain)
Final 2nd Leg, Stadio Partenio, Avellino, 16 May 1990, att 32000
AC Fiorentina (0) 0 Juventus (0) 0
Juventus won 3-1 on aggregate
AC Fiorentina: Landucci; Dell’Oglio, Volpecina, Pin, Battistini; Dunga, Nappi (Zironelli 71),
Kubik, Baggio; Buso, Di Chiara
Juventus: Tacconi; Napoli, De Agostini, Galia, Bruno; Alessio, Aleinikov, Barros
(Avallone 72), Marocchi; Casiraghi (Rosa 79), Schillaci
Referee: Schmidhuber (West Germany)
Fiorentina lost and under the circumstances… one can’t be really sorry for them. Not a bad squad, but not great either and Roberto Baggio leaving… sad to say, but the first winners of the Cup Winners Cup back in 1961 did not add a second European trophy.
Juventus won the UEFA Cup for 2nd time – 13 years passed from their first victory, which was the first European trophy the grand club won, but after that there was enough success and Juventus was the only club at the moment which won all European cups. It was good ending for 18 years of service as player and coach for Dino Zoff – with a victory. The team, however, was well bellow some vintages of which Zoff participated as player or coach. No wonder changes were in order and already started – Zoff was out, Roberto Baggio was coming.