2003–04 Coppa Italia
The Coppa Italia 2003/ 04, the highest Italian Cup competition, launched in the 2003/04 season on August 17, 2003, the first group matches. The two finals were held on 17 March and 12 May 2004 between Lazio and Juventus. Lazio was the final after a 2-0 at home in the Olympic Stadium of Rome and a 2-2 draw at the Stadio delle Alpi with a final score of 4-2 to decide for himself and celebrated the fourth Coppa Italia title in the club's history.
- 8.1 first leg
- 8.2 second leg
Mode
At the 56th edition of the Coppa Italia participated in a total of 48 teams from the three top divisions of Italy. The top division, Serie A, provided a total of 18 clubs. The first eight teams in the final table of the preseason were set directly for the knockout stages. The teams of nine places to 14 the previous season as well as the two best climbers of the past Serie B season were again set for the qualifying round for the knockout stages.
The eight remaining places for the qualifying round were awarded in a group stage to the group first. In eight groups of four teams, the teams of the Series B and the finalists of the Coppa Italia last played the series C. Cosenza Calcio would actually be eligible as Series B relegated, but was excluded on the basis of financial need.
By increasing the number of participants in Serie B in the season 2003/ 04 from 20 to 24 teams increased from Serie C1 instead of two now four teams on. These were also set for the group stage, which (Brindisi apart from the finalists of the last of the Coppa Italia Serie C, Aurora Pro Patria and SSD) were still up for grabs five places now. These were filled with the best teams in the last Serie C1. These were respectively the third and fourth placed teams from the Girone A and Girone B and the SS Sambenedettese as Fifth -placed the Girone B, since with 56 counters the direct comparison with the fifth-placed the Girone A, Calcio Padova (51 points) won.
In the group stage, each playing a match against each, from the qualifying round for the knockout stages of a round-trip each game was played.
Scandal in the run-
The increase in the number of participants in Serie B on 24 teams was enforced in some way by three clubs. So put Catania Calcio, athletic already relegated, due to a rule violation by a competitor and got an objection before an administrative court. Another scandal in Italian football was underway, so that even Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi intervened in the dispute.
By decree, he wore the associations at both Catania and the other relegated Genoa and Salernitana Calcio in Serie B to leave. This led to massive protests of the other 20 Series B clubs, who were disadvantaged by re- mixing of politics in football. So boycotted a variety of the 20 clubs in the Serie B 2nd and 3rd Round of the Coppa Italia.
For each game, in which a club did not compete, the club was occupied afterwards with a penalty of one point per trigger and scored the game 0:3. Should both teams not be taken up to a game, both teams were punished accordingly.
Group stage
Legend
- * The game was classified by the boycott of a team at the green table 3-0 for the team that took.
- ** The game was boycotted by both teams and 0:3 counted for both.
- Shown in brackets, the point deduction is given.
Group A
Group B
Group C
Group D
Group E
Group F
Group G
Group H
Qualifying round
The qualified group winners had home advantage in the first leg. In Torgleichstand was the away goals rule. The results are always to be considered from the perspective of the former team.
Second round
Quarterfinals
Semifinal
Final
First leg
Return
Lazio had indeed earned a supposedly good starting position in the domestic Olympic Stadium by 2:0, but Juve could equalize this gap with the start of the second half. Through the gate of Corradi Juve needed on away goals already two more goals before Stefano Fiore decided the final with his goal for a 2-2 draw close to the end. Thus, the finals ended with a total score of 4-2 for Lazio, which is thus able to secure the fourth title in the club's history.
Lazio's Fiore was not only the outstanding player of the finals, but was a total of six goals and top scorer of the tournament with his three goals in the games against Juventus.
Inter coach Roberto Mancini won the competition for the eighth time in his career, the second time as a coach and above six times as a player.
The boycott of the teams of the Series B in the matches of the group stage was also favored by the mode of competition. By the late boarding the favorite second-division teams had almost no chance to create real surprises Cup. This also becomes clear in that only two survived the qualifying round of the eight group winners before the competition was over for these two in the second round. It is also striking that did not reach the quarterfinals of the eight seeded teams in the second round only one (Chievo Verona).
Scorer Stefano Fiore