Written by Matteo Ciaramella
If you ask me, a Milan supporter, what my favorite non-Milan title run is, I will decidingly answer with the 2000-2001 Roma Scudetto win.
There’s a lot that goes into this choice. It may be the fact that I have always had enormous respect for Roma’s organization, history, and fans. It could be because this was Francesco Totti’s only Scudetto win. Perhaps the dramatic end to the season, the fact that Roma hadn’t won a title since 1983, or simply because I love the team that was assembled. Gabriel Batistuta and Vincenzo Montella as the main goal-threats, Totti behind them as an advanced playmaker, Samuel commanding the defense, and Cafu providing speed and flair up the right flank. Ballers.
This Scudetto race went right down to the wire. Roma had Juventus and Lazio breathing down their neck all season long, chasing the Giallorossi for that precious 1st spot as if their life depended on it. But the Romans held tight. They played their hearts out and gave it their all, guided by Rome’s Golden Boy Francesco Totti.
Everything came down to the last matchday. Roma needed to win against Parma to secure the Scudetto. Tensions were supposed to be running high for such a high stakes game, but the Roma supporters didn’t let the pressure get to them. The Giallorossi’s 12th man was there for the club, cheering, encouraging, motivating. The fans showed up to push their players towards the title. Full house, smoke bombs, chants, flags – they had it all. They were ready for the game; were the players?
The Giallorossi started the season well, with 3 wins in the first 3 games. And although a loss to Inter at San Siro shook up the standings, Roma then went on an absolute tear, led by their formidable trio of Totti, Batistuta and Montella. In fact, at least one of the three players of this three-headed offensive monster contributed with a goal in every one of Roma’s wins up until the derby with Lazio on December 17th, 2000, at which point Roma was comfortably at the top of the table. In this crucial game, the Giallorossi managed to get away with the 3 points, courtesy of a Lazio own goal, and the subsequent 0-0 draw with main title rivals Juventus had the Serie A go into the Christmas break with Roma six points ahead of the Bianconeri.
After a loss against Milan in January, Roma began their 9 game unbeaten streak by easily defeating Napoli with a 3-0 scoreline, and a tough, hard-fought 1-2 win against Parma, where the Roman side dominated but failed to capitalize, until Gabriel Batistuta came to the rescue with a much-needed brace. The second half of the season turned out to be similar to the first. Roma looked dominant, and although Totti didn’t score as much due to his playmaking duties, the duo of Batistuta and Montella stuffed the stat sheet week in and week out.
But the end of the season was unlike anything we’ve ever seen before or since in the Serie A.
Roma was 9 points ahead of Juventus on April 9th, 2001. Many believed the Scudetto to be decided, but a shocking 3-1 loss to Fiorentia gave Lazio and Juventus hope for a possible title challenge in the closing matchdays of the season. A mere 20 days later began the most important week of the season for the Giallorossi: the Rome derby with Lazio, followed by an away match against Juventus. This season had already been dramatic enough, but these 180 minutes added even more spice to an unforgettable campaign.
The derby with Lazio was an ugly game. A very ugly game. Aside from the racist, offensive banners displayed by the Biancocelesti supporters, the teams produced a first half filled with fouls and aggressive tackles, with little to no goal scoring opportunities. But the second part of the derby is where both teams let loose. Roma first scored two goals to take a 2-0 lead with Batistuta and Delvecchio, which was however followed by a spectacular volley strike by Pavel Nedved, bringing the score to 2-1. Then, with 30 seconds remaining in the game, Sinisa Mihajlovic went for the last corner of this heated contest. And as his corner kick was cleared away, everyone thought that the game would end there: 2-1 for Roma, one step closer to winning the league. But against all odds, Martin Castroman changed this narrative, coming out of nowhere to hit an absolute screamer from outside of the box, and levelling the score: 2-2. Roma’s dreams were now under serious threat, especially because the very next game had the potential to completely ruin Roma’s season.
The test against Juventus presented itself as a no-miss big match. It was sure to be spectacular, and looking back now, more than 20 years later, it surely didn’t disappoint. After only 6 minutes, in fact, Juventus was 2 goals up, courtesy of the star players Del Piero and Zidane. This was a big blow for the Giallorossi, as having to trail 2 goals before the 10 minute mark made a Roma comeback extremely uncertain. And regardless of the numerous chances from both sides, it seemed like the game was destined to end like this. A 2-0 win for the Bianconeri would get them 3 points off the first spot, and Roma’s hopes would be in grave danger. However, in the 79th minute, a miracle took place at the Stadio delle Alpi. After coming on for Totti, Hidetoshi Nakata – who hadn’t played a big role in the season thus far – got off a beautiful long shot into the top of the corner, and got his team only 1 goal shy of saving their season.
May 6th, 2001 must have been Nakata’s lucky day, because in the 91st minute, after receiving the ball at the edge of the box, the Japanese midfielder had a good effort on goal. Edwin van der Sar deflected the shot, but the ball ended up right in front of Montella, who had nothing to do but score the tap-in.
Game over, game tied.
2-2, and Roma now had a clear path towards the Scudetto, with 5 points separating them from Lazio in second place. All of this largely due to Capello’s genius decision of subbing off the leader of his team, for a role player who ended up changing the entire course of this season.
The next few games resulted in two draws and two wins, stalling Roma’s run, ultimately leaving everything to be decided on the last matchday of the season against Parma.
Back then Parma were a force to be reckoned with. A member of the original 7 Sisters of Italian football, the club from Emilia-Romagna consistently challenged for European spots throughout the 1990s and 2000s, and even went as far as being a serious title contender several times. This season, Parma was extremely involved in the fight for a Champions League bid in the following season, meaning that this last game was not going to be easy for Roma. This applies if you also take into consideration how tough the first match up of the 2000-2001 season between these two teams was for Roma. So many chances, such hard fought 90 minutes, yet the scoreline ended up being a mere 1-2 for the Giallrossi, who were miraculously saved by their precious goalscorer Batistuta.
This game was no joke. Roma had to take it seriously.
And take it seriously, they did.
As the players started coming out of the tunnels, one could truly sense their focus. Their eyes sparked with determination and desire to win, as well as awe in regards to the support and atmosphere at the Stadio Olimpico.
Failing to be intimidated by the star-studded Parma team, the Romans started with high pressing, aggressive attacking, and ferocious tackling.
Totti was everywhere, doing everything – the epitome of intensity.
And at the 19th minute, is when he gets repaid for his efforts.
Picture this: Montella gets the ball on the right flank. After casually holding it for a few seconds, he gives it up to Tommasi, who switches the play to Candela. In an attempt to regain possession for Parma, Sartor tries to cover the trajectory with his head, to no avail. Here, the ball ends up to the aforementioned Candela, who sees Montella freeing himself from the Parma defenders in the box. He crosses the ball in, and as it approaches Montella, the Italian striker fools everyone around him by faking a shot, and allowing the ball to roll by.
In the following split of a second, no one knows what is going to happen. But then, Totti comes charging towards the ball, striking it with all of the power his right foot possesses.
Buffon can do nothing but watch the ball violently sink into the net.
The fans. Go. Wild. And Totti goes wild too.
Wild might be underselling the chaos and emotions that resulted from this goal. I seriously cannot find a word to accurately describe the state of the Stadio Olimpico in the moments after Totti’s shot. All I can say is that it perfectly encapsulates the beauty of football, and what it means to people.
But this was only the beginning.
A mere 20 minutes later, Cafu manages to fight off Di Vaio for the ball and send Batistuta through on goal. The Argentine runs as fast as he can, and finds himself in front of Buffon. The goalie saves the shot, but cannot prevent incoming striker Montella from tapping the ball in for the second goal.
He can’t believe it. Like Totti, Montella runs towards the fans, punching the air, full of excitement and uncontrollable joy.
The Olimpico is going wild, and the Scudetto is as close as it has ever been in the past 18 years.
But the confirmation came in the 78th minute. Once again, Montella drops deep to help build-up play. As he gets the ball, he sees Batistuta’s run on the other side of the pitch. With an impressive long ball, he finds the Argentine, who beautifully controls the ball and sends it into the right corner with a driven shot, scoring the third and final Roma goal.
An incredible masterclass from the offensive trio, assisting and scoring, complementing one another like they had been doing all season long.
At this point, the supporters and players alike are sure that they are finally champions of Italy. A goal from Di Vaio brings the score to 3-1, but the Roma fans know that the only thing separating them from the end of years of suffering, is now the referee’s whistle. With minutes left to play, the stadium starts to turn into a giant party, waiting for the game to end. And when the referee blows into his whistle, at 17:03 on June 17, 2001, all hell breaks loose.
The fans storm the pitch.
The media goes wild.
The players are drowning.
Drowning in a sea of fans.
Drowning in a sea of joy.
References
https://www.transfermarkt.us/as-roma_ac-parma/index/spielbericht/2217565
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2000–01_A.S._Roma_season#Coppa_Italia
https://storiedicalcio.altervista.org/blog/scudetto-2001-quando-la-roma-fece-la-stupida.html
https://twitter.com/CalcioASRoma/status/743887028006301697/photo/1