Serie A

Everything You Need to Know About the 97 Playoff – Soccer Style

Published

5 months ago

05/21/2025

Staff

On May 20, 1973, Niels Liedholm’s Milan stumbled against a Verona team already saved and without ambitions, losing the Scudetto to Juventus.

The standings saw the Rossoneri in first place with 44 points. The chasers, Lazio and Juventus, were tied in second place with 43 points each. Three teams, therefore, still in the running for the title, but with the Devil in the lead. A single point against the unpretentious Venetians was enough to win the Scudetto. But instead, they were overwhelmed by the opposing winds of history.

VERONA FANS ( PHOTO BY SALVATORE FORNELLI )

Milan-Verona: a destiny written… but in pencil

There are games that go beyond the score. Matches that remain not only in memory but in the football lexicon and beyond. The “Fatal Verona” is one of those. An open wound in the heart of Milan, a spring day that turned into a nightmare.

Milan was coming off a victory in the Cup Winners’ Cup just a few days earlier. A tiring trip, considering the final was held in Thessaloniki.

And we come to May 20, 1973: the final day of the championship. The standings saw the Rossoneri in first place with 44 points, Lazio and Juventus tied in second place with 43. In short, three teams still in the running for the title, but with the Devil in the lead: a single point against the unambitious and non-ambitious Venetians would have been enough to win the championship. A “formality”. But instead, they were hit by the opposing winds of history.

With Liedholm on the bench, the Devil lined up with: Vecchi, Sabadini, Zignoli, Anquilletti, Turone, Rosato, Sogliano, Benetti, Bigon, Rivera, Chiarugi.

Verona responded with: Pizzaballa, Nanni, Sirena, Busatta, Batistoni, Mascalaito, Bergamaschi, Mazzanti, Luppi, Mascetti, Zigoni.

But at the Bentegodi stadium, in front of a Verona team already saved and without problems, everything fell apart. The match ended 5-3 for the yellow and blue team. A surreal game, almost Hitchcockian, where every expectation was overturned. And to think that things had started well from the beginning.

Milan took the lead, only to be equalized. Verona played freely, without the weight on their shoulders, and struck fiercely. An unexpected and above all unimaginable rout.

The goals were scored by: Sirena, Sabadini (own goal), a brace from Luppi, Rosato, Turone (own goal), Sabadini, and Bigon.

The rumors spread quickly. Juventus, needing an almost impossible twist of fate to win the title, started to take it seriously. And so they defeated Roma at the Olimpico with a goal from Cuccureddu, putting themselves ahead of everyone. Milan had collapsed. The Scudetto was taking a new direction.

Unthinkable Debacle

A dramatic sporting page in the history of the Rossoneri. The Devil, favored and virtually champion, finished second ahead of Chinaglia‘s Lazio. That Sunday in May remained a warning for Italian football history. That unforgiving football, which doesn’t care about anything or anyone. Verona became the measure of the mockery. An authentic keyphrase of Rossoneri’s discomfort.

So much so that history can be truly cruel. In fact, seventeen years later – in 1990 – history will repeat itself in almost the same way. But 1973 was the original. The first true “Fatal Verona” for the Rossoneri people. The one that taught that in sports, and in this case in football, until the final whistle blows, nothing is certain.

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Serie A

Lazio provides update on injured players: official statement

Published

3 hours ago

10/24/2025

Staff

Parma by Carlos Cuesta hosts Como by Fàbregas: a challenge between the two youngest coaches in Serie A, but with very different destinies at the moment.

Tomorrow afternoon, Parma will host Como in a fascinating and internationally flavored match: on one side Carlos Cuesta, on the other Cesc Fàbregas, the two youngest coaches in the league and compatriots. On paper, the projects of the two clubs seem similar: both focus on fresh ideas, ambitious coaches, and squads built on young players to be valued.

But the reality on the field tells a different story. While Como has confirmed the solidity and style seen in the last season, as demonstrated by the splendid victory against Juventus in the last round, Parma seems to be stuck, unable to find continuity and rhythm.

Rome, Italy 22.12.2024: Emanuele Valeri of Parma during Italian football championship Serie A Enilive 2024-2025 match AS Roma vs Parma Calcio at Stadio Olimpico in Rome.

Parma, confidence to regain

The main problem for Cuesta remains the lack of a clear playing identity. The yellow-blue team often appears lacking bite and struggles especially in the offensive phase, where it seems to overly depend on the individual plays of its best players.

The serious injuries of Ondrejka and Frigan have certainly complicated the plans, but the feeling is that more decisive action could have been taken in the summer transfer market, especially after the significant departures of Leoni, Bonny, and Sohm. Now Cuesta finds himself with a squad lacking quality and alternatives, while the management, despite reiterating confidence in their coach, cannot ignore the warning signs.

Another misstep could indeed raise doubts about the future of the Spanish coach, with fans finally asking for a solid performance and some signs from an attack so far too dependent on Pellegrino.

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Serie A

“We expect a team that will play their own style of football, where the ball is the focal point” – Football Style

Published

7 hours ago

10/24/2025

Staff

Inter coach Christian Chivu speaks at a press conference on the eve of the big match against Napoli at Maradona.

No one is in better form than Inter. The Nerazzurri, coming off 7 consecutive victories in Serie A and Champions League, want to continue their great form in the big match against Napoli. The Maradona challenge, between the top two teams of last season, could determine new power dynamics at the top. Currently, both teams are tied on 15 points in the standings.

The match against Conte’s team also gives Inter a chance to redeem themselves after losing last season’s title to Napoli by just one point. On the eve of the game, Inter coach Christian Chivu spoke at a press conference. Here are his words.

Inter, Chivu’s Words

Napoli vs Inter

Match.

“We can’t make comparisons with last year but look at what happened last year: they won the league and we didn’t. The rivalry and ambitions are there.”

Rest Day.

“I don’t need to justify it, it seems normal to me. Sometimes, it’s the best training. We’re coming from a very intense period, it seemed right to take a break and give them a day with their families. I trust their professionalism.”

Can this game shape the season?

“It’s important, we’re only on matchday eight. We understand that a lot is at stake but not everything. We go with conviction and we must be prepared.”

Are you preparing something different?

“I’ve learned that all games should be treated equally to maintain continuity, you can’t afford to consider yourself superior to others or you won’t win. I’ve been in teams where training was harder than the matches but we always had the right attitude.”

Lautaro’s Partner.

Ange-Yoan Bonny and Lautaro Martinez (PHOTO BY SALVATORE FORNELLI)

“For me, it doesn’t change anything, I have 4 compatible and generous strikers, if I mix them, the team’s performance remains the same. For me, there are no pairs, they have shown they can play together.”

Is it becoming harder to score in Serie A?

“I don’t see a problem, it means teams are well-prepared and so are the coaches. Abroad, there’s less concern about the opponent and more focus on the development of your own team. But it doesn’t mean that Italian football is declining or lagging behind, it’s a different way of interpreting it.”

Napoli is the team that beat them a year ago: is there a desire for revenge?

“I don’t think they have any chips on their shoulders. After Conte, there was Inzaghi and we won the second star and played two Champions League finals. I don’t think facing Conte is an extra motivation, we are Inter.”

Rotations.

“Diouf and Luis Henrique have played less so far but they have room for growth, I don’t consider them ready yet, but it doesn’t mean I haven’t given them the opportunity. Perhaps with many close games, I had less time to listen to them and explain things, but they have quality, I see it every day and there will come a time when they unlock and we’ll see them on the field more often.”

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Serie A

Lazio, injury alert: muscle strain for Tavares?

Published

11 hours ago

10/24/2025

Staff

La Lazio è in emergenza e, su questo, nemmeno lo stesso Maurizio Sarri si è nascosto.

Oltre a Pellegrini, Castellanos, Cancellieri, Rovella e Gigot potrebbe aggiungersi anche Tavares. Il rischio più concreto per il terzino portoghese potrebbe essere uno strappo.

Se il tecnico toscano sperava di poter avere certezze in difesa, in questo momento risulta molto difficile averne.

Per quanto riguarda la gara contro la Juventus, oggi Luca Pellegrini farà un test, dato che è alle prese con un edema a un ginocchio.

Isaksen prenderà il posto di Cancellieri, Dia sostituirà nuovamente Castellanos e per il resto la formazione sarà la stessa delle scorse giornate.

Lazio

Lazio, Tavares calato di rendimento

L’ultimo assist con i biancocelesti è arrivato contro la Real Sociedad in Europa League, lo scorso 23 gennaio.

In Serie A, invece, è persino più remoto: 31 ottobre 2024, contro il Como. Quasi un anno senza assist in campionato.

Lo stesso giocatore che, appena arrivato, era diventato una vera e propria macchina da assist. Naturalmente si è trattata di una grande overperformance, ma è un dato che ad ogni modo stupisce.

Difficile si possa tornare a qualcosa di simile in breve tempo. In questo momento la Lazio si trova al 12esimo posto in classifica.

Risultato altamente sotto le aspettative, ma con il blocco mercato e gli infortuni di certo Sarri non sta vivendo una stagione semplice.

The post Lazio, allarme infortuni: strappo per Tavares? first appeared on Calcio style.

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