24 August 2023
After a convincing opening-day win in Udine for Juventus, our Bianconeri are returning to familiar surroundings of the Allianz Stadium this Sunday, August 27, to welcome Bologna. The Rossoblu make the trip off the back of a loss to AC Milan.
The first chapter of our 'Iconic Goals' series celebrated a stunning strike from Alessandro Del Piero in Udine to win our 26th Scudetto, and this second entry is just as important. To remember this one, we have to go back a little further to May 10, 1998.
With only two matchdays to play, Marcello Lippi's Juventus topped the table with 70 points, chased by Inter in second on 66. The Stadio Delle Alpi hosted Renzo Ulivieri's Bologna, who themselves were fighting for a European place. A win would have won the Scudetto for Juve, marking a successful defence of their 1996/97 triumph.
The table was set nicely, but Roberto Baggio and his Rossoblu teammates were not willing to just show up and take part in Juventus' celebrations.
Inzaghi scores twice, Baggio tries to spoil the party
There was a celebratory atmosphere in Turin, but Bologna went ahead through Igor Kolyvanov as early as the 11th minute and put things on ice. It was a blow that served as a wake-up call for Juve, who then started to play more freely.
Zinedine Zidane delivered a pinpoint cross for Filippo Inzaghi to head home the equaliser, and that was just the beginning for the Piacenza-born forward on the day.
After the break, Lippi's side showed up with real intent. They wanted to seal that Scudetto as soon as possible.
The goal to give them the lead came as Didier Deschamps found countryman Zidane, who in turn picked out Alessandro Del Piero. The ball made its way to Inzaghi again and, once more, he was unforgiving in front of goal and finished.
Party time, right? No! Bologna were not giving up, and Roberto Baggio levelled things up again against his former club.
Fonseca comes on, but Inzaghi's day continues with another goal
Both sides started to fatigue from the heat in Turin, and Lippi made changes in response. Daniel Fonseca came on to replace Deschamps, and he played a key part as he weaved his way down the right before picking out Inzaghi with a cross that, of course, Pippo put away.
That marked his hat-trick, and an iconic one at that, allowing Juventus to seal another Scudetto and helping him to end the season with 18 goals to his name.
The Delle Alpi was in party mode then, it was 3-2 to the Bianconeri and the 25th Serie A title was in the bag.
