1998–99 AC Fiorentina season

Associazione Calcio Fiorentina enjoyed its best season in the 1990s on the pitch, but was left wondering what might have been. Leading the domestic Serie A championship a long way into the season, Fiorentina's title charge fell to pieces, as it lost unnecessary points while eventual champions Milan and runners-up Lazio continued winning their matches. In the end, Fiorentina salvaged third place in the league, qualifying for the UEFA Champions League in 1999–2000.

Fiorentina
1998–99 season
PresidentVittorio Cecchi Gori
ManagerGiovanni Trapattoni
StadiumStadio Artemio Franchi
Serie A3rd
Coppa ItaliaRunners-up
UEFA CupSecond round
(disqualified)
Top goalscorerLeague:
Gabriel Batistuta (21)

All:
Gabriel Batistuta (26)

Its European adventure in 1998–99 however, ended early, when a handmade bomb was thrown at a linesman in the victory against Swiss side Grasshoppers. The linesman escaped serious injury, but Fiorentina were declared losers of the match, despite its victory on the pitch, and were thus thrown out of the tournament. However, it avoided further sanctions. Fiorentina also lost the Coppa Italia Final to Parma, marking another season without titles.

Several players were impressive, with the trio Gabriel Batistuta, Rui Costa and Francesco Toldo being the players really standing out. The defensive line-up and the many goals conceded were the main reasons Fiorentina would not win the title.

Players edit

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK   ITA Francesco Toldo
2 DF   CZE Tomáš Řepka
3 DF   ITA Moreno Torricelli
4 DF   ITA Stefano Bettarini
5 DF   ITA Pasquale Padalino
6 DF   ITA Aldo Firicano
7 MF   ESP Guillermo Amor
8 MF   ITA Emiliano Bigica
9 FW   ARG Gabriel Batistuta
10 MF   POR Rui Costa
11 FW   BRA Edmundo
12 GK   ITA Alessandro Zandonà
13 DF   ITA Lorenzo Collacchioni
No. Pos. Nation Player
14 MF   ITA Sandro Cois
15 DF   ITA Roberto Mirri
16 FW   ITA Carmine Esposito
17 MF   GER Jörg Heinrich
19 DF   ITA Giulio Falcone
20 MF   ITA Domenico Morfeo
22 GK   ITA Gianmatteo Mareggini
23 FW   ITA Anselmo Robbiati
24 MF   ITA Christian Amoroso
25 FW   BEL Luís Oliveira
27 DF   ITA Andrea Tarozzi
FW   ITA Francesco Flachi

Transfers edit

Competitions edit

Serie A edit

League table edit

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Milan (C) 34 20 10 4 59 34 +25 70 Qualification to Champions League group stage
2 Lazio 34 20 9 5 65 31 +34 69
3 Fiorentina 34 16 8 10 55 41 +14 56 Qualification to Champions League third qualifying round[1]
4 Parma 34 15 10 9 55 36 +19 55
5 Roma 34 15 9 10 69 49 +20 54[a] Qualification to UEFA Cup first round
Source: Serie A, RSSSF.com, Soccerway
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Head-to-head points; 3) Head-to-head goal difference; 4) Goal difference; 5) Goals scored; 6) Draw. (Note: Head-to-head record is used only after all the matches between the teams in question have been played).[2]
(C) Champions
Notes:
  1. ^ ROM 7pts. JUV 5pts. UDI 4pts.

Results summary edit

Overall Home Away
Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts W D L GF GA GD W D L GF GA GD
34 16 8 10 55 41  +14 56 13 4 0 36 10  +26 3 4 10 19 31  −12

Last updated: 25 July 2015.
Source: Competitive matches

Results by round edit

Round12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031323334
GroundHAAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHA
ResultWWWWLWLWLWDWWDWLWWWDLDDWLWLDLLWLDD
Position1111112111111111111112222223333433

Matches edit

12 September 1998 1 Fiorentina 2–0 Empoli Florence
Rui Costa   5'
Batistuta   60'
Report Stadium: Stadio Artemio Franchi
Attendance: 34,343
Referee: Alfredo Trentalange
20 September 1998 2 Vicenza 1–2 Fiorentina Vicenza
Padalino   67' (o.g.) Report Batistuta   1'
Oliveira   71'
Stadium: Stadio Romeo Menti
Attendance: 16,000
Referee: Graziano Cesari
26 September 1998 3 Milan 1–3 Fiorentina Milan
Bierhoff   70' (pen.) Report Batistuta   6', 46', 52' Stadium: San Siro
Attendance: 16,000
Referee: Stefano Braschi
4 October 1998 4 Fiorentina 1–0 Udinese Florence
Edmundo   90+2' Report Stadium: Stadio Artemio Franchi
Attendance: 34,000
Referee: Stefano Braschi
17 October 1998 5 Roma 2–1 Fiorentina Rome
Alenichev   89'
Totti   90+4'
Report Batistuta   32' Stadium: Stadio Olimpico
Attendance: 62,000
Referee: Livio Bazzoli
25 October 1998 6 Fiorentina 4–0 Salernitana Florence
Edmundo   50', 89'
Batistuta   68', 90+2'
Report Stadium: Stadio Artemio Franchi
Attendance: 40,000
Referee: Alfredo Trentalange
31 October 1998 7 Parma 2–0 Fiorentina Parma
Crespo   36', 52' Report Stadium: Stadio Ennio Tardini
Attendance: 30,000
Referee: Piero Ceccarini
8 November 1998 8 Fiorentina 4–1 Venezia Florence
Padalino   23'
Batistuta   40', 65'
Rui Costa   64' (pen.)
Report Schwoch   42' (pen.) Stadium: Stadio Artemio Franchi
Referee: Massimo De Santis
15 November 1998 9 Piacenza 4–2 Fiorentina Piacenza
Rastelli   12'
S. Inzaghi   29' (pen.)
Cristallini   59'
Piovani   90+4'
Report Rui Costa   23' (pen.)
Edmundo   40' (pen.)
Stadium: Stadio Leonardo Garilli
Attendance: 16,000
Referee: Salvatore Racalbuto
22 November 1998 10 Fiorentina 3–1 Internazionale Florence
Padalino   5'
Batistuta   16'
Heinrich   75'
Report Djorkaeff   3' (pen.) Stadium: Stadio Artemio Franchi
Attendance: 41,000
Referee: Pasquale Rodomonti
29 November 1998 11 Bari 0–0 Fiorentina Bari
Report Stadium: Stadio San Nicola
Attendance: 26,000
Referee: Piero Ceccarini
5 December 1998 12 Fiorentina 1–0 Bologna Florence
Batistuta   56' Report Stadium: Stadio Artemio Franchi
Attendance: 32,000
Referee: Stefano Braschi
13 December 1998 13 Fiorentina 1–0 Juventus Florence
Batistuta   58' Report Stadium: Stadio Artemio Franchi
Attendance: 40,000
Referee: Stefano Farina
20 December 1998 14 Perugia 2–2 Fiorentina Perugia
Rapaić   1'
Nakata   90+5' (pen.)
Report Robbiati   10'
Batistuta   74'
Stadium: Stadio Renato Curi
Attendance: 20,000
Referee: Graziano Cesari
6 January 1999 15 Fiorentina 1–0 Sampdoria Florence
Rui Costa   28' Report Stadium: Stadio Artemio Franchi
Attendance: 36,223
Referee: Pierluigi Collina
10 January 1999 16 Lazio 2–0 Fiorentina Rome
Vieri   66'
Mihajlović   90'
Report Stadium: Stadio Olimpico
Attendance: 69,000
Referee: Livio Bazzoli
17 January 1999 17 Fiorentina 4–2 Cagliari Florence
Batistuta   7', 79', 89'
Edmundo   76'
Report O'Neill   32'
De Patre   59'
Stadium: Stadio Artemio Franchi
Attendance: 33,073
Referee: Pasquale Rodomonti
24 January 1999 18 Empoli 0–3 Fiorentina Empoli
Report Heinrich   77'
Rui Costa   81'
Edmundo   83'
Stadium: Stadio Carlo Castellani
Attendance: 12,000
Referee: Stefano Braschi
31 January 1999 19 Fiorentina 3–0 Vicenza Florence
Falcone   36'
Torricelli   39'
Batistuta   83'
Report Stadium: Stadio Artemio Franchi
Attendance: 32,000
Referee: Gennaro Borriello
7 February 1999 20 Fiorentina 0–0 Milan Florence
Repka  
Heinrich  
Batistuta   89'
Report   Costacurta
  Ambrosini
Stadium: Stadio Artemio Franchi
Attendance: 42,000
Referee: Alfredo Trentalange
14 February 1999 21 Udinese 1–0 Fiorentina Udine
Sosa   80' Report Stadium: Stadio Friuli
Attendance: 25,000
Referee: Piero Ceccarini
21 February 1999 22 Fiorentina 0–0 Roma Florence
Report Stadium: Stadio Artemio Franchi
Attendance: 43,170
Referee: Gennaro Borriello
28 February 1999 23 Salernitana 1–1 Fiorentina Salerno
Di Vaio   75' Report Torricelli   86' Stadium: Stadio Arechi
Attendance: 33,000
Referee: Fiorenzo Treossi
7 March 1999 24 Fiorentina 2–1 Parma Florence
Oliveira   42'
Rui Costa   55' (pen.)
Report Stanić   64' Stadium: Stadio Artemio Franchi
Attendance: 34,000
Referee: Pasquale Rodomonti
14 March 1999 25 Venezia 4–1 Fiorentina Venice
Recoba   18', 45+2', 90+1'
Miceli   42'
Report Esposito   88' (pen.) Stadium: Stadio Pier Luigi Penzo
Attendance: 12,630
Referee: Domenico Messina
21 March 1999 26 Fiorentina 2–1 Piacenza Florence
Batistuta   6'
Esposito   90+1'
Report S. Inzaghi   71' (pen.) Stadium: Stadio Artemio Franchi
Attendance: 33,400
Referee: Pierluigi Collina
3 April 1999 27 Internazionale 2–0 Fiorentina Milan
Ronaldo   45' (pen.), 83' (pen.) Report Stadium: San Siro
Referee: Alfredo Trentalange
11 April 1999 28 Fiorentina 2–2 Bari Florence
Rui Costa   41'
Padalino   72'
Report Osmanovski   66'
Guerrero   89'
Stadium: Stadio Artemio Franchi
Referee: Pasquale Rodomonti
17 April 1999 29 Bologna 3–0 Fiorentina Bologna
Simutenkov   28'
Bettarini   62'
Kolyvanov   69'
Report Stadium: Stadio Renato Dall'Ara
Attendance: 28,000
Referee: Graziano Cesari
25 April 1999 30 Juventus 2–1 Fiorentina Turin
Inzaghi   24'
Conte   87'
Report Tacchinardi   85' (o.g.) Stadium: Stadio delle Alpi
Attendance: 46,900
Referee: Fiorenzo Treossi
2 May 1999 31 Fiorentina 5–1 Perugia Florence
Batistuta   40'
Rui Costa   42', 67'
Edmundo   76' (pen.), 90+2'
Report Firicano   78' (o.g.) Stadium: Stadio Artemio Franchi
Attendance: 35,000
Referee: Pasquale Rodomonti
9 May 1999 32 Sampdoria 3–2 Fiorentina Genoa
Montella   29', 51'
Palmieri   78'
Report Rui Costa   20' (pen.)
Heinrich   41'
Stadium: Stadio Luigi Ferraris
Referee: Roberto Bettin
15 May 1999 33 Fiorentina 1–1 Lazio Florence
Batistuta   14' Report Vieri   27' Stadium: Stadio Artemio Franchi
Attendance: 40,000
Referee: Fiorenzo Treossi
23 May 1999 34 Cagliari 1–1 Fiorentina Cagliari
Muzzi   90+3' Report Zebina   40' (o.g.) Stadium: Stadio Sant'Elia
Referee: Emilio Pellegrino

Coppa Italia edit

Round of 32 edit

9 September 1998 1st Leg Padova 0–1 Fiorentina Padova
  86' Esposito Stadium: Stadio Euganeo
Referee: Cosimo Bolognino
23 September 1998 2nd Leg Fiorentina 2–0
(3–0 agg.)
Padova Firenze
Batistuta   68'
Rui Costa   81'
Stadium: Stadio Artemio Franchi
Referee: Pirrone

Eightfinals edit

28 October 1998 1st Leg Fiorentina 1–0 Lecce Firenze
Batistuta   83' Stadium: Artemio Franchi
Referee: Livio Bazzoli
10 November 1998 2nd Leg Lecce 0–4
(0–5 agg.)
Fiorentina Lecce
  59' (rig) Rui Costa
  60' Torricelli
  80' Edmundo
  87' Batistuta
Stadium: Stadio Via del mare
Referee: Cosimo Bolognino

Quarterfinals edit

2 December 1998 1st Leg Atalanta 3–2 Fiorentina Bergamo
Torricelli   29' (aut)
Rossini   65'
Carrera   83'
  8' (aut) Rustico
  34' Edmundo
Stadium: Stadio Atleti Azzurri d'Italia
Referee: Alfredo Trentalange
28 January 1999 2nd Leg Fiorentina 1–0
(3a–3 agg.)
Atalanta Firenze
Robbiati   9' Stadium: Artemio Franchi
Referee: Roberto Bettin

Semifinals edit

18 February 1999 1st Leg Bologna 0–2 Fiorentina Bologna
  32' Esposito
  65' Rui Costa
Stadium: Stadio Renato Dall'Ara
Referee: Emilio Pellegrino
10 March 1999 2nd Leg Fiorentina 2–2
(4–2 agg.)
Bologna Firenze
Cois   98'
Rui Costa   118'
  18', 64' Binotto Stadium: Stadio Artemio Franchi
Referee: Gennaro Borriello

Final edit

14 April 1999 1st Leg Parma 1–1 Fiorentina Parma
20:00 Crespo   16'   81' Batistuta Stadium: Il Tardini
Attendance: 21,038
Referee: Domenico Messina
5 May 1999 2nd Leg Fiorentina 2–2
(3–3a agg.)
Parma Firenze
20:00 Řepka   48'
Cois   62'
  42' Crespo
  71' Vanoli
Stadium: Stadio Artemio Franchi
Attendance: 39,070
Referee: Stefano Braschi

UEFA Cup edit

First round edit

15 September 1998 1st Leg Fiorentina   2–1   Hajduk Split Bari, Italy
20:00 CEST (UTC+02:00) Esposito   49'
Edmundo   50', 81'
Heinrich   56'
Torricelli   73'
Report Biliškov   30'
Brajković   32'
Skoko   38'
Vučko   44'
Stadium: Stadio San Nicola
Attendance: 6,000
Referee: Graham Barber (England)
29 September 1998 2nd Leg Hajduk Split   0–0
(1–2 agg.)
  Fiorentina Split, Croatia
18:00 CEST (UTC+02:00) Biliškov   50'
Baturina   52'
Report Cois   21'
Padalino   54'
Toldo   73'
Stadium: Stadion Poljud
Attendance: 35,000
Referee: Claude Colombo (France)

Second round edit

20 October 1998 1st Leg Grasshopper   0–2   Fiorentina Zürich, Switzerland
19:00 CEST (UTC+02:00) Esposito   12'
Comisetti   63'
Christ   67'
Report Amoroso   1'
Batistuta   20'
Robbiati   48',   73'
Torricelli   64'
Padalino   87'
Stadium: Hardturm
Referee: Graham Poll (England)
3 November 1998 2nd Leg Fiorentina   0–3 (Awarded)
(2–3 agg.)
  Grasshopper Salerno, Italy
20:45 CET (UTC+01:00) Oliveira   12', 38'
Falcone   33'
Report Cabanas   28'
Gren   30'
Stadium: Stadio Arechi
Referee: Michel Piraux (Belgium)
Note: The match was abandoned at halftime with the score 2–1 after an official was injured by a firework. Grasshopper were awarded a 3–0 win and advanced 3–2 on aggregate.

Other matches and friendlies edit

20 August 1998 (1998-08-20) Cirio Cup Lazio 1–0 Fiorentina Rome
Salas   45' (pen.) Report Stadium: Stadio Olimpico
Attendance: 35,000
3 September 1998 (1998-09-03) Memorial Mario Cecchi Gori, #1 Fiorentina 2–0 Lazio Florence
Batistuta   14', 20' Report Stadium: Stadio Artemio Franchi
Note: The match lasted one 45-minute half
3 September 1998 (1998-09-03) Memorial Mario Cecchi Gori, #2 Fiorentina 0–1   Monaco Florence
Report Trezeguet   39' Stadium: Stadio Artemio Franchi
Note: The match lasted one 45-minute half

Statistics edit

Players statistics edit

No. Pos Nat Player Total Serie A Coppa UEFA
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
1 GK   ITA Toldo 47 -51 33 -39 10 -8 4 -4
3 DF   ITA Torricelli 43 3 31 2 9 1 3 0
2 DF   CZE Repka 44 2 31 0 9 2 4 0
5 DF   ITA Padalino 35 3 28 3 5 0 2 0
17 DF   GER Heinrich 46 3 33 3 9 0 4 0
24 MF   ITA Amoroso 38 0 28 0 6 0 4 0
14 MF   ITA Cois 32 1 22+1 0 7 1 2 0
10 MF   POR Rui Costa 40 14 31 10 8 4 1 0
9 FW   ARG Batistuta 41 26 28 21 9 4 4 1
11 FW   BRA Edmundo 38 12 28 8 6 2 4 2
25 FW   BEL Oliveira 39 2 27+3 2 8 0 1 0
22 GK   ITA Mareggini 1 -2 1 -2 -0 0 -0 0
19 DF   ITA Falcone 38 1 21+5 1 9 0 3 0
27 DF   ITA Tarozzi 22 0 8+7 0 4 0 3 0
6 DF   ITA Firicano 16 0 8+3 0 4 0 1 0
FW   ITA Ficini 14 0 5+8 0 1 0 0 0
16 FW   ITA Esposito 23 4 4+11 2 6 2 2 0
23 FW   ITA Robbiati 29 3 3+19 1 6 1 1 1
7 MF   ESP Amor 26 0 3+13 0 7 0 3 0
8 MF   ITA Bigica 11 0 1+6 0 2 0 2 0
4 DF   ITA Bettarini 7 0 0+2 0 4 0 1 0
20 MF   ITA Morfeo 14 0 0+2 0 2 0 10
15 DF   ITA Mirri 3 0 0+1 0 0 0 2 0
12 GK   ITA Zandona 0 0 0 0
13 DF   ITA Collacchioni 0 0 0 0
FW   GRE Vakouftsis 0 0 0 0
MF   ITA Stefani 0 0 0 0

Goalscorers edit

References edit

  1. ^ Parma was consequently demoted to UEFA Cup first round
  2. ^ Almanacco Illustrato del Calcio – La Storia 1898-2004, Panini Edizioni, Modena, September 2005 "Norme organizzative interne della F.I.G.C. – Art. 51.6" (PDF) (in Italian). Italian Football Federation. 12 September 2018. Retrieved 11 November 2018.