1989/90: Juve too strong for Fiorentina
Friday 1 June 1990
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Juve's Sergei Aleinikov holds aloft the trophy (©Getty Images)
Germany v Italy was the theme of the 1989/90 UEFA Cup competition - which was appropriate given that the latter were to host that summer's FIFA World Cup, and the former to win it. Here, though, the honours went to the Italians.
Germany second best
SV Werder Bremen might have thrashed holders SSC Napoli in round three, but that was the exception to the rule. Juventus FC enjoyed 3-2 aggregate wins over Hamburger SV and 1. FC Köln, while AC Fiorentina ended Bremen's run on away goals in the semi-finals. That was typical of the Viola, who scored just six times in their ten games against Club Atlético de Madrid, FC Sochaux-Montbéliard, FC Dynamo Kyiv, AJ Auxerre and Bremen.
Juve in command
Such lack of firepower would cost them in the final first leg against Juventus - as second-half goals from Pierluigi Casiraghi and Luigi De Agostini gave Dino Zoff's men a 3-1 home victory at the Comunale stadium which flattered them. Juventus were fortunate, too, to be playing the return leg at neutral Avellino following crowd trouble involving Fiorentina fans. And when this ended in stalemate, the Bianconeri added the UEFA Cup to the Italian Cup they had won a few days earlier. To salt the wound, they then went out and bought Fiorentina's best player, Roberto Baggio.
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