The peninsula nation of Italy, circa 2005-06, the nation’s footballing fraternity is only just unearthing the massive dent to its reputation that is the Calciocopoli scandal. As more and more evidence is dug up, the Azzuri go on to win the 2006 World Cup.
But it was a bittersweet victory, because as the players return from international duty, some of them find their trophy cabinets a little less full and their team down in Serie B. Juventus, convicted of match fixing for two years straight bear the massive brunt of relegation into the Serie B.
Forced to sell the best of their players to their rivals, the prime example being Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s move to Inter Milan, Juve are a team in tatters. For years together, the Old Lady of Torino looked unbeatable, nearly God-like. And suddenly, they were languishing in Serie B, the Italian second divison.
Lo and behold, the Milanese giants celebrated, with Inter Milan controversially handed the Scudetto for being runners-up two years in a row they now had the financial firepower to rebuild, and along with an AC Milan side in the European ascendancy, they formed a cross-town duopoly of clubs that showed success immediately.
However, something has gone horribly wrong in the past 30 months. Indeed, since scaling the heights of winning a treble with Jose Mourinho as head coach, the Nerazzuri have barely challenged for honors. And yes, AC Milan have won a Scudetto, but that was before ‘Project Juve’ was reborn and the Via Turati found out it was in debt.