14 January 2015
A perfect performance from Giovanni Trapattoni’s Juventus saw them battle back from a two-goal first leg deficit against Hellas Verona to win 3-2 on aggregate (A.E.T.) at the Stadio Comunale, earning the club’s seventh Coppa Italia triumph back in June 1983.
The Bianconeri had initially approached the two-legged domestic cup final versus the Gialloblu in fine form, after topping a six-team group comprising Milan, Catania, Pescara, Padova and Genoa before then disposing of Bari, Roma and Inter in the following rounds.
An unbeaten record of seven victories and four draws told their tournament tale so far, and the Old Lady went into the final with Hellas Verona in good spirits. But a 2-0 loss at the Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi, settled by strikes from Domenico Penzo and Domenico Volpati, saw that run come to a swift end, leaving Trapattoni’s men with a mountain to climb.
Three days later in the return leg at the Stadio Comunale, Juventus began like a train with the determination to show their cup-winning mettle in full flow. And it only took them eight minutes to get a foothold back in the tie when Paolo Rossi tapped home from close range.
But the Bianconeri were made to wait a long time for that all-important equaliser as the Hellas Verona rearguard proved to be stubborn throughout the contest. Michel Platini it was who provided that elation (and relief) as he gambled at the back post to prod the ball past Claudio Garella on 81 minutes.
Extra-time came and went as tiredness started to creep in for both camps. With penalties looming, left-back Antonio Cabrini latched on to a stray Gialloblu pass, showed a turn of speed to sidestep a couple of markers and delivered an inviting cross which Platini slid in to send the home fans into raptures.
The final whistle sounded a mere 60 seconds later and signalled that Juventus had won their seventh Coppa Italia title in the most dramatic of fashions.
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