Former Perugia striker Alessandro Melli has made startling claims about the infamous match between Perugia and Juventus on June 14, 2000, which ultimately led to Lazio winning the Serie A title. Speaking on the podcast “Non è più domenica,” (via Corriere dello Sport) Melli revealed previously unknown details about events that allegedly transpired before the game.
According to Melli, there was an attempt to reach an agreement between some players from both teams in the locker rooms before the match. “We tried to agree with Juventus on a draw, which would have led them to a playoff,” Melli stated. However, he claims that key Juventus players, including Edgar Davids, Zinedine Zidane, and Paolo Montero, rejected this proposal.
Melli described the situation as a secretive discussion among the most important players, emphasizing that they ended up playing an “irregular match” that was decided by a single incident. The game, which was temporarily suspended due to heavy rain, ended with a 1-0 victory for Perugia, effectively handing the Scudetto to Lazio.
The former striker also shed light on the pressure from Perugia’s then-owner, Luciano Gaucci. “We were safe and had nothing to play for in the league,” Melli explained. “Juventus needed to win to secure the title and had faced a week of controversy.” He revealed that Gaucci, who allegedly had ties to Lazio and Banco di Roma, had asked the team to do everything possible to win, even offering a bonus. Melli added, “If we had lost, he would have taken us to China for a training camp.”
These revelations add a new layer of controversy to a match that has long been a subject of debate in Italian football history. The game not only determined the 1999-2000 Serie A champion but also became emblematic of the intense rivalries and behind-the-scenes machinations in Italian football at the time.
