09 May 2022
You can't touch us.
Juventus have won the Italian Cup 14 times, three more than any other club. On Wednesday, after last year's victory in Reggio Emilia, Juve return to the Olimpico in Rome, the setting of emotional celebrations in the recent past.
But, let's start from the beginning ...
1938 | THE FIRST
The first time Juve lifted the Italian Cup they eliminated Inter, at the time Ambrosiana Inter, in the semi-final before facing Torino in the final. The 3-1 first-leg advantage at the Filadelfia Stadium came through goals from Savino Bellini with a double and Ludovico De Felippis. In the return leg it was the turn of Guglielmo Gabetto to bag a brace at the Comunale Stadium for the 2-1 win on the night and 5-2 on aggregate.
1942 | THE SECOND SUCCESS
The path towards the second victory in the Italian Cup in 1942 led the Bianconeri to overcome Genoa and Padova in the second round and quarter-final before prevailing over Modena in the semi-final.
Opponents in the final were Milan on 21st and 28th of June. The first leg at San Siro ended 1-1, with a goal from Bellini before a late equaliser leveled the tie. A week later there was no doubt as to who would raise the cup. A hat-trick from Riza Lushta and a goal from Vittorio Sentimenti gave Juve a convincing 4-1 win in Turin.
BACK TO BACK!
The Juve of John Charles, Giampiero Boniperti and Omar Sivori brought home two cups in as many years. The first arrived just before the team clinched the scudetto and was played in September 1959 against Inter. An outstanding performance by the Bianconeri was opened through goals by Charles and Sergio Cervato on one side of Inter's only goal, and Sivori and Cervato on the other, for a 4-1 win.
A year later the game was again played in September at San Siro. This time the opponent were Fiorentina, who held their own against the Bianconeri over the 90 minutes.
At 1-1 everything was to be decided in extra time. The Viola edged in front before Charles struck back with his second of the game. The fifth and last goal, which kept the trophy in Turin, was scored by the unfortunate Alberto Orzan, who put the ball into his own net.
1965 | THE FIFTH
The Bianconeri claimed Cup win number five in 1965 against Inter when Heriberto Herrera's Juve defeated the recently crowned European Champions. The match was played at the Olimpico in Rome, just like on Wednesday, and Juve came out on top thanks to their strength of character and a goal from Giampaolo Menichelli.
1979 | PALERMO RUNNERS UP
14 years passed before the Cup was back in the Juventus trophy cabinet. The opponents in 1978/79 were Palermo, the location was the San Paolo Stadium in Naples.
After just one minute the side from Sicily had taken the lead.
The Bianconeri pressed for the equaliser for the remainder of the match, which arrived with seven minutes to play through Sergio Brio. In extra time, with penalties looming, Franco Causio completed the turnaround with a shot from inside the penalty area.
1983: WHAT A COMEBACK!
A thrilling journey, an incredible final. Firstly Juve knocked out Inter in the semi-finals to earn the right to play Verona, who were already making a name for themselves in the league. At the Bentegodi the Bianconeri succumbed to a resounding 2-0 setback. The perfect match was needed in the return leg at the Comunale.
On 22 June 1983 the perfect match arrived.
Juve took the lead early through Paolo Rossi and drew level late on aggregate with a goal from Michel Platini in what was an end-to-end roller-coaster of a match. Just like four years previously, the destiny of the Cup was decided in extra time, thanks to another Platini strike, finishing off a great run by Antonio Cabrini, to send the stadium into raptures.
1990 | GALIA DECIDES IT
Victory number eight was a deserved success away from home, and another win over Milan. This is what happened in 1990, when Juve went on to win after a goalless home leg in February.
The second leg at San Siro was played in April. Juve coached by Dino Zoff beat Arrigo Sacchi's Milan thanks to a splendid counter-attack rounded off by Roberto Galia. The one-nil scoreline was kept intact thanks to a heroic display by StefanoTacconi, who is always in our thoughts, and the solid defensive wall in front of him.
1995 | BACK TO WINNING WAYS
In 1995 Juventus and Parma were dominating in Italy and in Europe, sharing the trophies (Juventus the league, the Gialloblu the Uefa Cup). A 1-0 advantage from Turin was added to in Emilia as Sergio Porrini, who scored in both matches, and Fabrizio Ravanelli gave Juve the Cup to round off an extraordinary season.
2015-2018 | FOUR IN A ROW
Trophy number 10. Juve, fresh from league glory, arrived at the Olimpico to face Lazio in a one-off match. Juve fell behind to Stefan Radu's early goal, but took just seven minutes to respond. An Andrea Pirlo cross was met by Patrice Evra, who set up Giorgio Chiellini's acrobatic finish. Nothing could split the teams in normal time, so 30 minutes extra were required. One of the decisive men in the comeback semi-final success in Florence, Alessandro Matri, popped up again to score the goal that gave the Bianconeri the Cup for a tenth time
In 2016, another hard-fought final at the Olimpico. The final against Milan was by no means a simple match, and the goalless stalemate seemed destined to take the match to a penalty shootout. However, in extra time Alvaro Morata came on to decide the day. A few minutes after being introduced into the action, his goal gave the Lady a back-to-back league and cup double.
And then 2017, Juve were on the cusp of winning the scudetto, which duly arrived a few days later, when they faced an excellent Lazio side at the Olimpico. The Bianconeri's class shone through though, and two great goals, by Dani Alves and Leonardo Bonucci led the team to a 12th triumph.
Success number 13 came on the back of a goal fest against Milan. It was 9 May 2018, again at the Olimpico. After an even first half, Juve stepped up in the second. Medhi Benatia's brace sandwiched a Douglas Costa strike before Nikola Kalinic's own goal completed the scoring.
2021 | OURS AGAIN
Juve did not lift the Cup for two seasons, despite coming within touching distance in 2020 against Napoli on penalties in the final in a deserted Olimpico due to the lockdown imposed as a consequence of Covid-19.
The following year, however, the Cup returned to Turin. In a final played this time in Reggio Emilia, but with fans back in the stands, Juve overcame Atalanta 2-1 on 19 May. The Bergamaschi cancelled out Dejan Kulusevski's opener before Federico Chiesa crashed home the winner.
Match Rewind | The 14th Italian Cup
Now we are ready again.
Rome awaits.
