2002–03 Serie A
The 2002/03 season was the 72th season of the Serie A and started because of litigation for the television rights until 14 September 2002. Was strange that the season with the second game started, as the entire first match for the still in September unexplained TV broadcast rights and the league strike could be made up until the beginning of November. Was finished the season with the 34th matchday 24 May 2003. The Scudetto, the Italian league title, won last year as record champions Juventus. Descent had Atalanta Bergamo, Piacenza Calcio, Como Calcio and AC Turin. Scorer with 24 goals scored season Christian Vieri Inter Milan.
- 2.1 Relegation Game
- 4.1 scorers
Course of the season
The title fight was long a three-way battle between the reigning and defending champion Juventus and the two Milan clubs Milan and Inter. Juve secured the 32nd Round the title early. Inter Milan was like in the pre-season runner-up, losing to Juventus on ground. Seven points was the distance to the record champions, although coach Héctor Cúper and committed Lazio Rome Hernán Crespo was a torgefährliches strike partnership available after the departure of Ronaldo to top scorer Christian Vieri. The city rivals AC Milan had to bang with the pledged FC Barcelona champion Rivaldo order to qualify for the UEFA Champions League. Milan continued after the season started early on the table top. The first defeat of the new season put it on the seventh match with a 2:3 at AC Chievo Verona, two weeks later, there was a 1-2 defeat in the top game at Juventus. Until the 19th Round led Milan to the table, before a series with three wins from eleven games meant that from the title race. The key game of the season was the duel between Juve and Inter on Matchday 23. Juventus beat Inter Milan 3-0 on home turf and sat down at the table top that you were not returned until season's end. In the battle for the top mixed with for a long time Lazio Rome, which, despite the sales of Hernán Crespo and Alessandro Nesta due to the poor financial situation without significant signings starred above. At the end jumped out to qualify for the Champions League for Lazio.
After a false start of two defeats early in the season the Roma could not intervene in the fight master, the remaining goals were all missed. In the end, the master found from 2001 to eighth place again. For the UEFA Cup, the AC Parma, who had to sell before the season some performers and Udinese Calcio qualified. The rising stars of the preseason AC Chievo Verona was located almost the entire season in a European Cup place, but playful on the final day by a defeat at the already fixed as champions Juventus Turin the European Cup participation.
Four teams had to tremble for the league until the end of the season. In the end it got Piacenza Calcio, Como Calcio and AC Turin who've been staying at an early stage. The FC Modena remained of the transition in the second division spared, while Atalanta despite two wins to end the season in the relegation match against Reggina Calcio had to determine the fourth relegated. Reggina won after a 0-0 draw at home away near Bergamo and thus remained top notch.
Special
Due to the unresolved legal status of the broadcasting rights for the 2002/ 03 Serie A the first match was rescheduled until November between the eighth and ninth matchday. The broken part on the twelfth Gameday between Como Calcio and Udinese Calcio was rated 0-2, the match of 22 matchday Torino to AC Milan was, however, regarded with 0:3.
Performance in the European Cup
After unsuccessful years on the international stage of the Champions League winner was determined this time directly under the clubs of the Serie A. After an Italian semi-final in which AC Milan who beat city rivals Inter, Juventus waited in the finals. Milan won after goalless regulation time in the penalty shootout, and thus won the Champions League after they had last won in 1994. For series A, it was the first title in this competition since 1996. At that time, Juventus won in a penalty shootout against Ajax Amsterdam. However, the dominance in the Champions League could not maintain the Serie A in the UEFA Cup. Only Lazio made it to the semifinals, failed there, however, the Portuguese side FC Porto ( 0:0,1:4 ).
Final Table
In case of equality, the direct comparison decides
Relegation game
Reggina Calcio - Atalanta Bergamo (0:0, 2:1)
Cross Table
The cross table presents the results of all games this season represents the home team is listed in the left column, the visiting team on the top line.
Scorer
With 24 goals was Christian Vieri Inter Milan top scorer in the 2002/03 season. For Vieri it was the best season in the service of Inter Milan and his first top scorer. Parma's Adrian Mutu scored 18 goals, Milan's Filippo Inzaghi was 17 times successfully. Inter's Hernan Crespo came only on 18 missions and seven goals for ongoing injuries. Parma's attacking duo Adriano / Mutu scored 33 goals and secured the traditional club so that the European Cup participation. The 14 goals from Dario Hübner of Piacenza Calcio not saved from relegation.
Top scorers
Champion team
(in brackets the matches and goals are specified)
- Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon ( 32 / -); Antonio Chimenti (3/ 0)
- Defense: Alessandro Birindelli (17 / - ); Ciro Ferrara (25 / - ); Salvatore Fresi (9/ 1); Mark Iuliano (21/ 1); Paolo Montero (21 / - ); Emiliano Moretti (8 / - ); Gianluca Pessotto (17 / - ); Lilian Thuram (27/ 1); Igor Tudor ( 14/1)
- Midfielder Davide Baiocco (7 / - ); Mauro Camoranesi (30/ 4); Antonio Conte ( 18/1 ); Edgar Davids (26/ 1); Pavel Nedvěd (29/ 9); Rubén Olivera (3/ 0); Matteo Paro ( 1/ 0); Alessio Tacchinardi (16 / - ); Gianluca Zambrotta ( 26/1 ); Cristian Zenoni ( 13/1)
- Striker Alessandro Del Piero ( 24/16 ); Marcelo Salas (11/ 1); David Trezeguet (17/ 9); Marco Di Vaio (26/ 7); Marcelo Zalayeta (22/ 4)
- Coach: Marcello Lippi
See also
- Serie B 2002/ 03
- Coppa Italia 2002/ 03