10 years ago this week, Fulham thrashed Juventus at Craven Cottage to eliminate the Italian giants from the Europa League. Trailing 3-1 from the first leg in Turin, Roy Hodgson’s men went another goal behind on home soil but suddenly sparked into life, smashing four past a bewildered Old Lady to improbably advance to the quarterfinals.
It was – and still is – one of the most remarkable nights in the history of Fulham as a club, made all the more memorable by the fact they thoroughly outplayed such a storied opponent. Bobby Zamora ran riot among the Bianconeri backline, repeatedly leaving Fabio Cannavaro chasing shadows before the 2006 World Cup winning captain was sent off after just 27 minutes.
That was a story replayed all over the pitch, almost every member of the English side getting the best of his opposite number and, after David Trezeguet opened the scoring, it was truly a night to forget for Juve. Their ageing squad simply had no answers for the attacking verve and never-say-die attitude exhibited by their opponents, but while this match has become part of Fulham folklore, it would also prove to be a watershed moment for the team they so comprehensively dismantled.
ON THIS DAY: In 2010, Fulham beat Juventus 4-1 (5-4 on agg.) in a stunning second-leg comeback to advance to the quarter-finals of the Europa League.
What. A. Night. pic.twitter.com/g8hQ3WDfO5
— Squawka Football (@Squawka) March 18, 2020
To fully explain the ramifications of that heavy defeat, it is necessary to quickly return to 2007, just 12 months after Juventus were relegated to Serie B for their role in the Calciopoli scandal of the previous summer. Then-coach Didier Deschamps had led the Bianconeri back to the top flight, comfortably topping the table despite the nine-point penalty that had also been handed to them as further punishment.
With promotion secured, Deschamps looked long and hard at a side that had been fortunate enough to retain Gigi Buffon, Alessandro Del Piero, Pavel Nedved and David Trezeguet. He insisted that the team now needed two or three proven players to supplement those stars, but club management disagreed and planned to almost completely overhaul the squad.
Angered by their inability to see his point of view, Deschamps resigned and was replaced by Claudio Ranieri who would steer the club to a third-place finish in 2007/08 before ending the following campaign one place higher. The coach was dismissed before that season had even concluded, replaced by youth team boss Ciro Ferrara who was given the job on a permanent basis in the summer of 2009.
The retired defender would prove to be out of his depth, a situation made worse by the fact the same could be said of those above him in the Juve hierarchy. Rather than implement Deschamps’ plan, sporting director Alessio Secco had instead spent two years making horrendous mistakes in the transfer market.
He signed Brazilian midfielder Felipe Melo for €25 million, another €27 million on his compatriot Diego Ribas, Portuguese midfielder Tiago cost another €13 million while €11 million was spent on Momo Sissoko, €10 million on Christian Poulsen and €9 million on Empoli midfielder Sergio Almirón. Secco also facilitated Fabio Cannavaro’s return to Turin from Real Madrid, handing the former Italy international a huge contract despite him clearly being past his best and after he walked out on Juve followed that aforementioned relegation in 2006.
IT’S ALLLLL OVERRRRRRR!
We’re through to the Quarter-Finals of the @EuropaLeague after beating Juventus 4-1! The Cottage is rocking! #FULJUV pic.twitter.com/eqwqhVLg47
— Fulham Football Club (@FulhamFC) March 18, 2020
In short, the squad was an expensively assembled shambles and matters only deteriorated as the 2009/10 season got underway. Ferrara was sacked at the turn of the year and replaced by Alberto Zaccheroni, the latter failing to get any positive response from the players or indeed make any kind of tangible improvements.
Buffon struggled all season with back and shoulder issues, and after playing well in the first leg, his deputy Alex Manninger suffered an injury that would prevent him from travelling to Craven Cottage. That forced Juve to deploy third-choice ‘keeper Antonio Chimenti between the posts on that ill-fated night, and the 39-year-old would certainly not cover himself in glory as the match progressed.
Even with all those problems, it would take a sensational goal from Clint Dempsey to seal Fulham’s victory, the American coming off the bench to slot home an incredible long-range chip that sent the home fans delirious.
As Fulham celebrated, the visitors collapsed. Jonathan Zebina was sent off for kicking out at Damien Duff, and Chimenti broke his hand punching the dressing room wall in anger shortly after he left the field. But the damage done to Juve would be far more long-lasting as the following summer saw the club completely overhauled on and off the field as Andrea Agnelli was installed as president, his family taking back day-to-day control after spending the previous few years away from the spotlight.
Mr Agnelli immediately relieved Zaccheroni and Secco of their duties, and when Antonio Conte was named as coach in the summer of 2011, Alessandro Del Piero was the only member of his first starting XI who had played during that loss to Fulham just 18 months earlier. It was the dawn of a new era, one which has led to eight consecutive Serie A titles and two Champions League final appearances.
So while Fulham fans will rightly remember that night forever, they should also know that it played a part in transforming Juventus into the dominant force they are today.
