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  • Juve - Torino Classics: Maspero digs himself a hole

    Juve - Torino Classics: Maspero digs himself a hole

    • Edo Dalmonte @edodalmonte

    It's Derby Day! It's Turinese Hate Week!

    Throughout the day, we'll be updating the page with videos that bring back the fondest and most painful of memories, for fans not just of the Turinese sides, but of Serie A in general. Of what Italian football was, of what it is, of the flavour it needs to preserve if it wants to preserve its identity in the future.

    We look back at some of the classics, some of the games that have helped Torino fans keep the faith, and made Juventus fans want to gamble all those titles away for a chance to shut their neighbours up. On the flipside, there'll be moments where Death Star Juventus crushed their opponents without mercy, or edged them in unforgettable, heart-breaking battles.

    Del Piero, Pulici, Bettega, Zaccarelli, Zoff, Dossena, Platini, Graziani, Gentile, Ferrante, Cabrini, Aguilera, Anastasi... they're all here. It's good to be a Serie A fan.

    We kick off with two spectacular games from the 2001/2002 season, two derbies which prove once and for all that draws can hurt like a defeat, if not more.

    Pippo Maniero, you cheeky b*****d
    Juventus Torino 3-3, 2001-2002 Serie A Season

    Hoo boy, this one still stings. Remember when I said that Juve fans would gamble away titles just to wipe the smirk off Granata faces? This is one of them. 3-0 up at half-time, against a Torino side that had only picked up two points in six games, Juve were flying.

    Then, the unthinkable happened. Having finally seen sense at the half, Giancarlo Camolese threw on Marco Ferrante instead of Yksel Osmanovsky (this really happened, I know): eleven minutes later, he was rewarded with a peach of a pass into Cristiano Lucarelli's path. Smash. 3-1.

    Mere minutes later, captain Tonino Asta went on a tear, being brought down by Lilian Thuram. Penalty! Though replays showed it was likely out of the box, Marco Ferrante didn't think twice, putting his effort past Buffon. 3-2, game on!

    Thirteen minutes separated the Granata's first and second goals. It would take 13 more... to equalise, Ferrante's header being desperately parried away by the amazing Buffon, only for Ricky Maspero to prod in at the far post. 3-3, are you kidding?

    It gets worse for Juve fans. Boy, does it get worse. Because just as they would have to resign themselves to an embarassing collapse, Igor Tudor was brought down (coughcough) in the box by Fabio Galante. PENALTY! It was all for nothing!

    Ricky Maspero certainly wasn't having it. As everyone bickered mere yards from the penalty spot, the cheeky midfielder began to trample it, digging into it with his cleats, and was so discreet that even the Tele+ cameras didn't pick it up! It took Alessio Tacchinardi a while to notice what was happening, before the enforcer could tell his opponent to clear off. By then of course, it was too late, Tacchinardi later confessing that "I knew Salas would miss. I just knew it". That's right, Marcelo Salas. A hero at Lazio, but only a few games into a high-profile move to Turin that would quickly turn him into a bidone.

    Up stepped Salas... and over it went. We'll let the images below do the talking.

    For those of you who speak Italian, here are Ricky Maspero and Alessio Tacchinardi themselves telling the story. It's a good job Tacchinardi can laugh about it now!

    Goals: Del Piero 9' (J),Tudor 11' (J), Del Piero 24’ (J), Lucarelli 57' (T), Ferrante 70' (T), Maspero 83' (T).
    Juventus: Buffon, Zenoni (Ferrara al 64'), Thuram, Juliano, Pessotto, Zambrotta, Tudor, Tacchinardi, Nedved, Del Piero (Salas 73'), Trezeguet. Coach: Lippi.
    Torino: Bucci, Mezzano, Galante, Delli Carri, Asta, Cauet, Semioli (Vergassola 46'), De Ascentis, Castellini, Lucarelli (Maspero 78'), Osmanovski (Ferrante 46'). Coach:Camolese.



     

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