Chapter 257: Fallen heroes
November 6th, in the 11th round of Serie A, Inter Milan welcomed Lazio at home.
As one of the former Serie A powerhouses, Lazio reached its peak in the 1990s. At its zenith, its squad was even more luxurious than teams like Real Madrid and Barcelona.
However, the club's fortunes depended on one person, Lazio's owner Cragnotti. Even before Florentino Perez's "Galacticos" at Real Madrid, he had advocated for a policy of "signing superstars to build the team."
Stars like Veron, Vieri, Crespo, and Nedved were signed by the Biancocelesti, breaking numerous transfer records at the time. Lazio transformed from a mid-table team to a title contender.
In 1999, Lazio boasted a formidable lineup with stars like Favalieri, Nesta, Nedved, Stankovic, Salas, Veron, Almeyda, Inzaghi, and Conceicao.
With this squad, they won the UEFA Cup and UEFA Super Cup in 1999, as well as the treble of Serie A, Coppa Italia, and Supercoppa Italiana in 2000.
Just when everyone thought Lazio would become another powerhouse besides the northern giants, Cragnotti's food company faced a crisis. The club had to cut expenses, leading to the departure of many stars, and their performance declined significantly, no longer able to challenge for the league title.
Lazio's rise and fall illustrate a broader issue in Serie A: most clubs operate at a non-profitable state. Poor management and commercial development by the league mean clubs receive very little revenue, except for the top northern giants. Other clubs often rely on their owners' parent companies for financial support, and any crisis in the parent company severely affects the clubs.
The match kicked off in front of tens of thousands of spectators. Inter Milan launched the first attack, with Wang Feng breaking through Lazio's defense twice. Unfortunately, one shot was saved by Peruzzi, and the other, a header to Adriano, missed the target.
Inter Milan's midfield dominance was apparent, with Ribery and Makélélé linking up effectively, both possessing excellent technical skills and precise passing.
In the 27th minute, their efforts paid off. Ribery cut inside from the right and, despite Vigil's interference, chipped a pass to the far post. Wang Feng chested the ball forward, then accelerated past Couto, unleashing a powerful shot into Lazio's net.
1-0!
Despite taking the lead, Inter Milan continued to control the game's tempo. However, they missed several chances to extend their lead, perhaps due to their teammates' lack of excitement.
In the 51st minute of the second half, Wang Feng received a through ball from Ribery, sprinted down the wing, and delivered a low cross to the edge of the six-yard box.
Adriano, usually quick to react, was slightly slower this time, allowing the ball to slip past him to the unmarked far post, where Lazio defender Vigil cleared it.
Adriano shook his head in frustration, giving Wang Feng a thumbs-up for the excellent pass, acknowledging his own missed opportunity.
Five minutes later, Inter Milan launched another attack. Wang Feng received a pass from Sanetti in the opposition half, shrugged off Oddo's challenge, dribbled into the box, and fired a low shot into the far corner, making it 2-0! Inter Milan secured victory!
On November 20th, in the 12th round of Serie A, Inter Milan faced Parma away.
Like Lazio, Parma was once a Serie A powerhouse, even earlier than Lazio. In the 1990s, it was known as one of the "Seven Sisters" of Serie A.
Parma's rise was also fueled by "moneyball." In 1990, the club was promoted to Serie A, and Parmalat, the local dairy industry giant, acquired a 45% stake in the club, becoming its leader, and began massive investment in signings.
The arrivals of Glenn, Brolin, and Taffarel helped them qualify for the UEFA Cup as newly promoted side, and they also won the Coppa Italia, shocking Italian football.
Notably, Taffarel's most famous moment was in the 1994 World Cup final when he was Brazil's goalkeeper. When Roberto Baggio missed his penalty, Taffarel fell to his knees and looked up to the sky, a moment captured in an iconic photograph.
Subsequent signings like Asprilla and Zola brought Parma European success, winning the UEFA Cup and their first Coppa Italia. They also shattered Juventus' dreams of a treble.
Despite changes in their squad, Parma remained competitive, winning the Cup Winners' Cup and UEFA Super Cup in the 1998-1999 season.
However, after Parmalat went bankrupt, Parma lost its financial support and gradually declined. Although they had a resurgence for a brief period with Adriano, Gilardino, and Mutu, they failed to win any more trophies.
The match began with Parma attempting to capitalize on their home advantage, but the ball was soon intercepted by Inter Milan's defense. A long pass found Ribery in midfield.
Ribery broke through to the edge of the penalty area before passing to the far post. Wang Feng rose above Bonera to head the ball into Parma's net.
"Goal! Wang Feng scores with a header, giving Inter Milan the lead within just 3 minutes! This header was magnificent, showing Wang Feng's incredible leap as he reached above Bonera's head."
"Wang Feng doesn't often use headers, but it's definitely one of his weapons. Opponents who underestimate him will pay the price."
Finding themselves behind so early was unexpected for the home team. They didn't want to lose easily, so they continued to press forward against Inter Milan. However, this was undoubtedly a mistake. Facing a strong opponent, it would be better to tighten their defense and wait for counterattacks.
Ten minutes later, Inter Milan's Zanetti intercepted the ball and initiated a counterattack. He passed to Ribery on the wing, who dodged Bonaventura's tackle and crossed to the edge of the penalty area.
Wang Feng attracted the defense before delivering a through pass, finding Adriano unmarked. Adriano didn't waste the chance, slotting the ball past the goalkeeper with his left foot.
Fifteen minutes later, Inter Milan extended their lead with a third goal from Pizarro, effectively sealing Parma's fate.
In the second half, Parma adjusted their tactics, opting to defend deeper rather than attacking Inter Milan directly. Inter Milan also slowed down the tempo of the game and made substitutions.
In the 77th minute, Parma pulled one goal back through a counterattack, but Inter Milan maintained their lead, winning 3-1 at full time.
Updat𝓮d fr𝙤m fre𝒆webnov(e)l.com