18 November 2015
Whether in Italy or abroad, few matches are capable of generating the same level of drama as Juventus vs. Milan.
These two giants of Italian football have crossed paths a staggering 160 times in the country’s top flight, sharing 51 league titles and a catalogue of breathtaking encounters along the way. Naturally, the majority of the 432 goals scored by either side when Bianconero meets Rossonero is of colossal importance.
With that in mind, Juventus.com takes a look back at five of the most memorable strikes celebrated by the Old Lady against il Diavolo in Turin. The men responsible? Pietro Anastasi, Michael Laudrup, Roberto Baggio, Lillian Thuram and Claudio Marchisio.
1970: Anastasi's brilliant bicycle kick
While the 1969/1970 season would not yield a trophy for the Bianconeri, who eventually finished in third place behind first-time winners Cagliari, it did produce one of the club's finest ever performances against Saturday's opponents as Ercole Raditti's side turned on the style to ease to a 3-0 victory.
The March 1970 meeting between Juve and Milan was just eight minutes old when Pietro Anastasi's moment of pure inspiration opened the scoring at the Stadio Comunale.
Watching the ball all the way onto his foot, the Bianconeri's top marksman that year left the 65,000 or so fans gathered in the city's historic arena speechless and Milan goalkeeper Fabio Cudicini flapping at thin air.
Anastasi would go on to add a second to his tally just two minutes later, expertly flicking a diving header into the far corner. With the visitors reeling, Claudio Leonardi wrapped up the points on the stroke of half-time, producing a superb volley of his own from Helmut Haller's clever cut-back.
1986: Laudrup seals the 22nd Scudetto
Giovanni Trapattoni's Juventus approached the penultimate matchday of the 1985/86 season leading second-placed Roma by two points.
With the Giallorossi licking their lips at the prospect of facing already-relegated Lecce at the Stadio OIimpico, the Bianconeri entered their home tie with Milan in April 1986 knowing that they could be only sure of top spot with two wins from their remaining fixtures.
As the news from the capital began to filter through shortly after half-time that Juan Antonio Barbas' penalty had given the Puglians the unlikeliest of leads, Juventus fans everywhere sensed that the title would indeed be won on that day and moments later, Michael Laudrup gave substance to their belief.
Smelling the danger as Massimo Briaschi fashioned a low cross from the left side of the penalty area, Laudrup pounced to take a touch, compose himself and roll into the net for the simplest yet undoubtedly most significant of his 35 goals in a Juventus shirt.
Delirium on the pitch and stands ensued and just 28 minutes later the Bianconeri party could begin in earnest: their 1-0 win over Milan and Lecce's epic 3-2 victory in Rome sealed the deal on a 22nd Scudetto.
1994: Baggio uses his head
Eight years later it was up to Roberto Baggio to find the Rossonero net at a pivotal point of Juventus' season with il Divin Codino's instinctive header securing the third of six consecutive victories for the Bianconeri in a run that would see them top the table from January onwards.
Looking to bounce back to a surprise defeat at Foggia two weeks previously, Marcelo Lippi's men came flying out of the blocks as Antonio Conte, Fabrizio Ravanelli and Gianluca Vialli all went close in a first half dominated by the home side.
With the teams seemingly heading for the dressing rooms all square, Angelo Di Livio did superbly to check back on to his left foot and curl a sumptuous cross onto the forehead of Baggio whose full-blooded celebration said all there was to be said of the moment's importance.
High-scoring wins over Fiorentina (3-2), Lazio (4-3) and Roma (3-0) would follow as the Old Lady steamed through the winter calendar to set up an unassailable lead at the Serie A summit. Scudetto number 23 would arrive by the end of May.
2002: Thuram's lung-busting sprint
Lillian Thuram only scored once in the black and white of Juventus and perhaps fittingly for a player of his stature, it was one of the finest examples of athleticism, timing and composure ever to be seen at the Stadio Delle Alpi.
As a Milan corner was headed clear and Mark Iuliano pinched the ball from the toes of Andrea Pirlo on the edge of the box, Thuram's sensational sprint began, setting off from his own six-yard box.
Nine seconds later the Frenchman was receiving Alessandro Del Piero's pinpoint pass, bringing it under control on the run and sliding the ball past the diving Christian Abbiati to cap off a breathtakingly thrilling counter-attacking move.
The run, the finish and the celebration after: pure Juventus vs. Milan gold.
2011: Marchisio at the death
In a game played at breakneck speed and with unbridled intensity, it seemed both Juventus and Milan had nothing left to give as this 2011 encounter, the first between the two teams at Juventus Stadium, seemed destined for a goalless draw.
The scoreline was not for a wont of goalmouth action however as Mirko Vucinic's sublime chip cannoned back off the crossbar, Arturo Vidal's fizzing effort went inches wide and Abbiati somehow clawed Leonardo Bonucci's point-blank shot over the top.
When the game's winning goal did come on 87 minutes, it was one to behold.
Picking up the ball 25 yards from goal, Claudio Marchisio drove at the retreating Rossoneri and exchanged a delighful pair of one-twos with Vidal and Vucinic on the edge of the penalty area before slightly fortuituously diverting the ball into the corner.
Marchisio added a second six minutes later as his skidding shot squirmed through the grasp of Abbiati to send the Juventus Stadium faithful home dreaming of the season ahead.
The rest, as you know, is history.
