Promotion & relegation knock-off
As usual, in the early August, the Playoff took place between Lecce and Perugia:
- Lecce – Ascoli (1-1 – Pasculli (LEC), Casagrande (ASC))
- Ascoli – Lecce (1-0 – Giovannelli (ASC))
Verdicts
- Pescara, Pisa, and Cesena promoted to Serie A through Serie B placement;
- Brescia, Atalanta, and Udinese relegated to Serie B through Serie A placement;
- Ascoli confirmed in Serie A / Lecce remains in Serie B through Playoff.
Formula and international tournaments
The 1987-1988 Serie A consisted of a single 18-team national league. The latter three placed teams withstand direct relegation, while the 15th placed is forced to the playout against the 4th Serie B club.
- Naples (National Champion) to 1987-1988 European Cup;
- Ambrosiana (Coppa del Re winner) to the 1987-1988 European Winners' Cup;
- Juventus, Verona, Milan, and Andrea Doria to 1987-1988 UEFA Confederation Cup.
- Ambrosiana to 1987-1988 UEFA Super Cup
Serie A 1987-1988 roster
- Naples
- Juventus
- Verona
- Ambrosiana
- Milan
- Andrea Doria
- Avellino
- Monaco
- Capitolina
- Como
- Firenze
- Torino
- Empoli
- Triestina
- Ascoli
- Pescara
- Pisa
- Cesena
Off-League Events
As early as the summer of 1987, there were several turbulent phenomena on Italian soccer: yet another sports justice investigation handed Empoli five penalty points on charges of match-fixing. However, the investigation had started from investigations into other clubs, and for this reason, the fine turned out to be small given the difficulty of identifying objective responsibilities of the Tuscan side.
During this summer, FIF put three reforms to a vote, with two of them destined to fail: the first, involving the proposed regionalization of the Coppa del Re, was rejected by the lower-league clubs, which often enjoyed large box-office advantages for matches against Serie A sides. As per the reform, the lower-league teams would be considerably reduced, they overwhelmingly voted against.
The second, proposed precisely by the small teams, was the enlargement of the Serie A to 20 teams. This proposal met with a strong uprising from the larger clubs, who often called conversely for a reduction in the number of Coppa del Re matches and the closure of Serie A to 16 teams to better cope with continental commitments. This obviously resulted in a rejection of the proposal.
The third proposal, the only one that met with favorable consensus, was the creation of a unified 20-team Serie C with national carat, instead of the current C1. Below it, a four-team, 20-team Serie D divided by geographical areas (Northwest, Northeast, Central and Sardinia, South and Sicily) was instead established. This reform also changed the criteria for the access to the Coppa del Re from 1988-1989 season, with all the clubs from Serie A, B, and C (58 clubs) and the four winners of Serie D rounds competing in direct eliminations from the Round of 64.
Transfer market
Reigning champions Naples added Brazilian ace Careca for the attack (investment of 4 billion liras), and further strengthened with fullback Francini from Torino. On the exit front, fullback Volpecina, headed to Verona, midfielder Celestini (Ascoli) and right winger Caffarelli (Udinese) left the team.
Juventus, runners-up in the previous championship, changed its skin with several new starters and numerous exits. The most resounding of the goodbyes was Platini's retirement from playing soccer, at only 32 years of age. The Bianconeri club replaced Platini's flair with the substance of midfielder Magrin (from Atalanta) and, to cope with the return of center forward Serena to Ambrosiana (for 3,8 billion Liras), secured the services of Welsh stalwart Ian Rush for attack. Minor movements occurred in defense, with the arrival of sweeper Tricella from Verona, who began alternating with captain Scirea in the center of defense.
Verona, still led by Bagnoli, lost captain Tricella, replacing him with Juventini Pioli and Soldà and the arrival of the other Teutonic Berthold. Verona also signed Swede Hysen for the midfield.
The ambitions of Berlusconi's Ambrosiana, after two consecutive UEFA Cups, were calling for a Scudetto now absent from the Checker’s trophies for more than 25 years (the distant 1962-1963 season). Trapattoni's team could enjoy numerous reinforcements including the return of Serena (3.8 billion, from Juventus), the strong German center forward Voeller (7.2 billion from Werder Bremen) and the Italian-Belgian Scifo for the midfield (7.5 billion from Anderlecht). Trapattoni also tried to recall full-back Cabrini to Ambrosiana, without success, later turning to Nobile. On the exit front, Tardelli, Garlini, and bomber Rummenigge left the team. Berlusconi also purchased the Argentine star Claudio Borghi for over 4 billions and loaned to Como, hoping to bring him back to Milan the following year with the forecasted opening to the third foreigner slot.
The new Milan, under the Nardi-Rivera banner and controlled by the Azionariato Popolare, had managed to get more than 65,000 membership cards subscribed to the club, worth almost 30 billion lire, in denominations differentiated between members with voting rights, promoter members, ordinary members, and associates. With these funds, the Rivera-Capello technical tandem, with the help of scout Galbiati, built a truly competitive team for the first time. The new "guru" of Italian soccer was chosen for the bench, that Arrigo Sacchi who had performed well with his Parma in the previous year's Coppa del Re. With Sacchi, and requested by him, came the two defenders Mussi and Bianchi. To give substance and phosphorus to the midfield, on Liedholm's recommendation, Milan signed Ancelotti from Capitolina, by then on the sidelines in the Roman team given his constant injuries. To give run and liveliness on the flank, the Rossoneri bought the promising midfielder/fullback Colombo from Udinese. The Rossoneri also bought Stefano Borgonovo, a promising forward from Como for 2 billion, leaving him on loan to the Lariani. But the real bangs were yet to come; Milan secured the services of the two Dutch phenomena: Gullit (for 13.5 billion from PSV Eindhoven) and Van Basten (for 2.05 billion from Ajax). The Rossoneri should also be credited, along with Berlusconi's Ambrosiana, with introducing a level of professionalism never seen in the management of club football. To finance this expensive buying campaign, the two Englishmen Hateley and Wilkins were sold for about 5 billion liras, along with Bonetti, Di Bartolomei, and Galderisi.
Andrea Doria continued its progressive establishment as a contender, inserting midfielder Bonomi into the starting eleven, along with promising goalkeeper Gianluca Pagliuca.
The Capitolina, like its historic rival throughout the 1980s Juventus, also changed skin, with several excellent disposals (including Ancelotti, Righetti, Gregori, Baldieri, Baroni, and Di Carlo). On the arrivals front, The Romans acquired Manfredonia from Juventus (an immediate object of hostility from the Tricolor fans for his Lazio past), defenders Signorini (from Parma), Tempestilli (from Como), and Policano (Genoa), and midfielder Domini (also from Genoa). Angelo Peruzzi, a strong goalkeeper from the youth academy, then joined the first team.
Few movements to report for Firenze and Torino, with both teams dragged by the talent of their youngsters such as Baggio for the Viola, and Lentini, Fuser and Cravero for the Gialloneri.
Top teams Rosters & National Team for 1987-1988 – (in green the new signings / in blue the promoted youth team players / in purple players returning from loans)
The championship
First round
The championship began on September 13, 1987, under the sign of Naples, which won the first five games going immediately into the breakaway. Initially Andrea Doria tried to chase, but with a pace not decisive enough to keep up with the Campanians. On January 17, 1988, in Genoa, at the halfway mark, a goal by Maradona in the final graduated Naples as winter champions and put an end to the Dorians’ ambitions.
Earlier, on the 3rd of the same month, Milan had advanced its bid by inflicting a crushing 4-1 defeat at San Siro to Naples itself, bringing it three points closer to the top; the Rossoneri's run, however, was held back at this stage by the injury that struck its number nine Van Basten in October, who was forced to stop for the next six months.
Meanwhile, the first phase of the championship had also been marked by some censurable episodes of violence. In mid-December, a few seconds before the kickoff of the second half of Milan v Capitolina, two firecrackers set off from the Rossoneri's corner had knocked out the Tricolors goalkeeper Tancredi, who had been replaced by the promising 17-year-old Peruzzi: although the match had been won on the field by the Lombardi, thanks to a penalty by Virdis, the goal would have no value as the Disciplinary Committee decreed the 2-0 victory of the Capitoline team. Similar measures had previously been taken against Pisa, during the home match with Naples, and Juventus when it hosted Cesena, again for throwing objects from the stands that had hit players of the visiting teams.
Second Round
Naples continued its race to the top in the return round, coming in on February 14 to accumulate a five-point lead over second-placed Milan. On April 10, with five days to go, the Azzurri still led by one points over the Rossoneri, that managed to take full advantage of some faltering on the part of the leader in the previous two months.
But Milan, starting the following week, took advantage of the Neapolitans’ athletic decline and buoyed by Van Basten's return to the field, racked up three successes that proved decisive. The Rossoneri overcame Capitolina in Rome, while Naples lost to Juventus in Turin, with the effective takeover of the Milanese by 1 point. The week after, Milan crushed their city opponents Ambrosiana in the derby, with Naples only drawing in Verona. Thus, at the eve of the direct clash in Naples, Milan held 2 point-advantage on the Neapolitans.
Finally, on May 1, in the direct clash at the San Paolo, they definitively thwarted the holders' residual ambitions of reconfirmation, imposing themselves 3-2 thanks to Virdis' double and a goal by Van Basten, with Milan achieving a 4-points lead.
Napoli's crisis, aggravated by a rift within the locker room between a part of the team - the so-called "May rebels" - and coach Ottavio Bianchi, led the reigning champions to disarray: the Neapolitans, who had lost only two games in the first 25 days, fell four times in the last five rounds and obtained only one point out of the 10 available. On the last day, Milan needed only a draw in Como on May 15 to celebrate a Scudetto that had been missing for nine years.
This championship marked the rebirth of a Milan team that had come back from difficult years on the sporting and even more so on the corporate level. the Rossoneri team found its strength in a zone defense that conceded 16 goals in 34 games, of which only twelve on the field (due to the forfeit defeat to Roma), and that, in addition to relaunching veteran and captain Franco Baresi in the national team, also proposed young men of sure future such as Roberto Donadoni and Paolo Maldini in the Azzurri jersey.
On the relegation front, Empoli was pretty much a goner due to the five penalty points awarded to it and quickly sank. Among the struggling clubs was Monaco, usually a mid-table team, which instead ended up being relegated directly at the end of the season. Battling for direct salvation and the playout then remained a swarm of teams, including Pescara, Avellino, Ascoli, Pisa, Triestina and Como. Soon the fight was reduced to Como, Triestina, Pisa and Ascoli, with the Giuliani condemned to relegation and the Comaschi to the playout.
The UEFA race saw, after Milan and Naples, the affirmation of Capitolina and Andrea Doria, firmly in third and fourth place, respectively. At the back, Ambrosiana, Juventus, Turin, Florence, and the surprise newly promoted Cesena were battling. After a disappointing end to the season, both Juventus and Firenze remained out of the European cups, to the advantage of Ambrosiana and Torino. Truly ugly was Verona's season, which from this season would begin to slip further and further to the bottom of the standings.
Milan's winning eleven
Scudetto Roll of Honor
Coppa del Re
The formula of the Coppa del Re involved 96 clubs, with the best 16 placed teams in previous Serie A accessing directly the Round of 32 and the other clubs from Serie B, Serie C1 and Serie C2 competing in knock-offs.
- 18 Serie A clubs
- 20 clubs from Serie B
- 36 Serie C1 clubs
- 22 Serie C2 clubs
Round of 32
There were numerous surprises, including Ambrosiana's incredible elimination by Gloria Fiume and Monaco's exit against strong Parma.
Round of 16
Naples struggled mightily to get the better of Brescia on the road, drawing 2-2 (Careca's double, answered by the Lombardi with Iorio and Mariani). In the return match at the San Paolo, Maradona rose to prominence with a hat trick, followed by a goal by De Napoli. Lombardy's consolation goal by Chiodini.
Parma beat Capitolina at home thanks to a goal by Osio. In the return match in Rome, the Tricolors imposed themselves with an imperious three to nil (Giannini, Boniek and Desideri).
Doria lost in Firenze thanks to an incredible free kick by Baggio, and went on to upset the tide at home with a 4-1 win (Vialli, Mancini, Cerezo, and Vierchowod for the Ligurians, Diaz for the Florentines).
Gloria Fiume and Vicenza, the two chief outsiders, fought over the access to the quarterfinals. The tie in Vicenza 1-1 (Rondon for the Venetians and Boscovich for the Quarnerine) was followed with the Vicentine victory in Fiume thanks to a goal by Briaschi.
Triestina overcame Verona after a scoreless game at home, winning in Verona by 0-1 (goal by Bivi).
Milan won in Turin thanks to header by Virdis, but unexpectedly crumbled at San Siro by 0-2 with scores of Polster and Benedetti.
Como easily overcame Avellino with a 2-0 home win (Borgonovo and Borghi) and a tie in Campania (Borgonovo again and Bertoni for Avellino).
Juventus tied in a scoreless game in Ascoli, and lost1-0 at home after a missed penalty kick by Magrin and Scarafoni's late goal for the Marchigiani.
Quarterfinals
Capitolina tied at home against Naples, with Agostini and Giannini scoring for the Romans and Maradona and Giordano for the Neapolitans. In the return leg, a controversial decision on an offside position delivered Pruzzo in front of Garella, allowing the Tricolors to reach the semifinals with a score of 0-1.
Andrea Doria destroyed Vicenza away (Fusi's double and Vialli) 0-3, and tied at home 1-1 (Pellegrini for the Ligurians and Mascheroni for the Venetians).
Torino and Triestina had a first leg ending 1-1 in Trieste (Fuser for the Torinese, Polonia for the Triestine). In the return leg, Berggreen and Lentini secured the Semifinals for Radice's team.
Ascoli lost 4-1 at home against Como (Borgonovo's double, Corneliusson, and Borghi for the Lombards, Scarafoni for the Marchigiani). Despite Ascoli won the return leg 0-1 in Como (Giovannelli), it wasn't enough.
Semifinals
Andrea Doria demolished Capitolina at the Stadio Olimpico by 0-4 (Fusi, Pari, Salsano, and Ganz) securing their access to the Finals. In the return leg, the Genoese showed again their superiority with a 2-0 win (Mannin and Cerezo).
In the other semifinal, Torino won in Como 0-2 (Cravero and Gritti), losing instead the return leg at Filadelfia with a late goal by Borgonovo.
The Finals
In the first game in Turin, Doria went ahead thanks to a goal by Briegel, then matched by an own goal by Vierchowod late in the game. In the return leg in Genoa, Doria managed to snatch their second Coppa del Re with a overtime goal by Salsano.
Andrea Doria's winning Eleven
Coppa del Re Roll of Honor
