Soccer Memories-Part 55, Italian Serie A matches, November 9, 1986, Juventus Football Club-Torino 1- Societa Sportiva Calcio Napoli 3

 Juventus hosted Napoli on November 9^th, 1986, in a match that would have profound repercussions in the title race and would also signal a change in the balance of power.

 

This was an early season match (Matchday 9) and there was still more than 2/3 of the season left.

After the eighth round of matches, the two teams were joint leaders of the Serie A with 12 points.

Juventus were defending Serie A Champions in their first post-Trapattoni season (now managing Inter). The new man in charge was Rino Marchesi. He had the difficult task of following in Trap’s footsteps and managing a side that was showing signs of age.

French star Michel Platini was still there, complemented by the younger Danish star Michael Laudrup.

However, Platini was a player in decline, after nearly five years in the high-pressured atmosphere of the Serie A. Similarly, team captain Gaetano Scirea, Antonio Cabrini, Sergio Brio and Massimo Bonini among others were fading forces.

In addition to Laudrup, the younger players included Massimo Mauro and Aldo Serena.

 

In contrast, Napoli were starting to become a power. Argentine Superstar Diego Maradona had transformed Napoli’s fortunes in couple of seasons. The team had finished third the previous season, in the back of many transfers possible after the arrival of Maradona.

Maradona had just led Argentina to win the World Cup, just a couple of months before, and was the undisputed king of Football.

In fact, most of the comparisons made were the contrasting fortunes of the declining Platini compared to the growing stature and success of Maradona.

Napoli were managed by Ottavio Bianchi, a former player with the club in the 60s and 70s. He had managed mostly lower level and mid-table Serie A teams before his appointment in 1985.

Napoli had been active once more in the transfer market to build a team worthy of Maradona’s talents.

Italian International midfielder Fernando De Napoli had arrived from Avellino, while future International striker Andrea Carnevalle arrived from Udinese.

The team already consisted of former Verona goalkeeper Claudio Garella, veteran defender Giuseppe Bruscolotti, veteran International midfielder Salvatore Bagni and former International and Lazio striker Bruno Giordano.

The team also included a young defender that would go on to be one of the best in Italy into the next decade (and in fact for Juventus as well), his name Ciro Ferrara. He would be rewarded with his first cap for his Nation at the end of the season.

Despite Napoli’s growing strength, at this point, chances are most observers were still not tipping them to win their first elusive Scudetto.

 

Photo From: France Football, Issue 2118, November 11, 1986 

For this match, playing at home, Juventus had a chance to build a distance between themselves and Napoli.

For the Bianconeri, Scirea was out injured, and Nicola Caricola started in his place.

 

After a scoreless first half, Juventus took the lead through Michael Laudrup in the 49^th minute. He knocked in a rebound after Garella had parried Cabrini’s cross from the left.

In the past, this would have signaled the opening of the floodgates, but this Napoli had other ideas.

They would pressure to get back into the game and the tiring Juventus side would give way. It must be remembered that just days before, Juventus had been involved in a Champions Cup against Real Madrid that had gone into overtime.

 

Napoli tied the match in the 72^nd minute. Francesco Romano’s corner from the left was headed across and struck in by Moreno Ferrario.

Just couple of minutes later Napoli would take the lead. Diego Maradona’s corner from the right, was headed across by Renica to the far post for Giordano to knock in.

Juventus could not get into the match with every passing minute and just at the end, Napoli dealt the final blow.

Andrea Carnevalle advanced and was knocked down at the edge of the box and Giuseppe Volpecina curled in the loose ball from just inside the box on the right side.

This was Napoli’s first win at Turin in 29 years (last win had been in 1957).

 

This had been a bad week for Juventus following the elimination in the Champions Cup vs. Real Madrid.

These two losses conditioned Juventus’ season and despite ending as runners-up in the end, they hardly challenged for the title (Inter being Napoli’s most credible challenger for most of the season).

In retrospect, this loss marked the start of the near decade long decline of Juventus.

Platini would retire at the end of the season. Italy’s premier club was now not only being overtaken by Napoli, but soon by Berlusconi’s AC Milan and Inter, for the coming years.

 

Photo From: Guerin Sportivo, No 46 (618), November 12-18, 1986

(November 9, 1986, Juventus 1-Napoli 3)

Perhaps, in terms of spectacle, this match was not a classic, nor a title decider given the stage of the season, but was memorable in terms the history of the Serie A.

For the first time, Napoli as well as the Press and the Public believed they could win the title.

This change in psyche was critical as Napoli held on to the lead for the rest of the season.

Maradona cemented his place further in history, by following a World Cup win, by leading one of the unfashionable sides to the Serie A title.

They would build upon this title with another Scudetto in 1990 and the UEFA Cup in 1989. They would become one of the major players in the Serie A for the following few years and it all started with this match vs. Juventus.

 

 

League Standings before the match after the 8^th Matchday on November 2^nd, 1986:

1- Juventus, Napoli 12 points

2- Como, Internazionale Milano, AC Milan, Roma, Verona 10 points

 

League Standings after the match after the 9^th Matchday on November 9^th, 1986:

1-Napoli 14 points

2- Internazionale Milano, Juventus, Roma 12 points

3- Como 11 points

 

Photo From: Guerin Sportivo, No 46 (618), November 12-18, 1986

(November 9, 1986, Juventus 1-Napoli 3)

 

Photo From: Guerin Sportivo, No 46 (618), November 12-18, 1986

(November 9, 1986, Juventus 1-Napoli 3)

Date: Sunday, November 9, 1986

Competition: Italian Serie A, 1986/87 Season-Matchday 9

Result: Juventus Football Club-Torino 1- Societa Sportiva Calcio Napoli 3

Venue: Turin (Torino)-Stadio Communale

Attendance: 37,433

Referee: Luigi Agnolin (from Bassano)

Linesmen: -

Kick-off time: -

Goalscorers:

(Juventus): Michael Laudrup 49

(Napoli): Moreno Ferrario 72, Bruno Giordano 74, Giuseppe Volpecina 90 

Summary of goals:

1:0 (49^th minute, Juventus): Cabrini’s cross from the left side was parried by Garella, Laudrup knocked in the rebound.

1:1 (72^nd minute, Napoli): Romano’s corner from the left side was headed across and shot in by Ferrario.

1:2 (74^th minute, Napoli): Maradona’s corner from the right side, was headed across by Renica to the far post and struck in by Giordano.

1:3 (90^th minute, Napoli): Carnevalle advanced and was knocked down at the edge of the box, Volpecina curled in the loose ball from just inside the box on the right side.

Lineups:

Juevntus:

1-Stefano Tacconi, 2-Luciano Favero, 3-Antonio Cabrini, 5-Sergio Brio, 6-Nicola Caricola, 4-Massimo Bonini (15-Ivano Bonetti 78), 7-Massimo Mauro (14-Stefano Pioli 56), 8-Lionello Manfredonia, 9-Aldo Serena, 10-Michel Platini (France), 10-Michael Laudrup (Denmark)

 

Coach: Rino Marchesi

Booked: Nicola Caricola

Other Substitutes:

12-Luciano Bodini, 13-Beniamino Vignola, 16-Renato Buso

 

Team Captain: Antonio Cabrini

Official Kit Supplier/Designer: Kappa

Shirt Sponsor: Ariston

Uniform Colors: Black/White Vertically Striped Shirts, White Shorts, White Socks

 

Napoli:

1-Claudio Garella, 2-Giuseppe Bruscolotti, 3-Ciro Ferrara, 5-Moreno Ferrario, 6-Alessandro Renica, 4-Salvatore Bagni, 7-Luciano Sola (16-Andrea Carnevale 53), 8-Fernando De Napoli, 9-Bruno Giordano, 10-Diego Maradona (Argentina), 11-Francesco Romano (13-Giuseppe Volpecina 78)

 

Coach: Ottavio Bianchi

Booked: Fernando De Napoli

Other Substitutes:

12-Raffaelle Di Fusco, 14-Ciro Muro, 15-Luigi Caffarelli

 

Team Captain: Diego Maradona

Official Kit Supplier/Designer: Ennerre

Shirt Sponsor: Buironi

Uniform Colors: Light Blue Shirts, White Shorts, Light Blue Socks

 

 

References:

France Football, Issue 2118, November 11, 1986

Soccer America, Vol. 31, No. 22, Issue 786, November 20, 1986

Guerin Sportivo, No 46 (618), November 12-18, 1986

Photo From: Guerin Sportivo, No 46 (618), November 12-18, 1986

(November 9, 1986, Juventus 1-Napoli 3)

Photo From: Guerin Sportivo, No 46 (618), November 12-18, 1986

(November 9, 1986, Juventus 1-Napoli 3)

Photo From: Guerin Sportivo, No 46 (618), November 12-18, 1986

(November 9, 1986, Juventus 1-Napoli 3)

Photo From: Guerin Sportivo, No 46 (618), November 12-18, 1986

(November 9, 1986, Juventus 1-Napoli 3)

Photo From: Guerin Sportivo, No 46 (618), November 12-18, 1986

(November 9, 1986, Juventus 1-Napoli 3)

Photo From: Guerin Sportivo, No 46 (618), November 12-18, 1986

(November 9, 1986, Juventus 1-Napoli 3)

Photo From: Guerin Sportivo, No 46 (618), November 12-18, 1986

(November 9, 1986, Juventus 1-Napoli 3)