Roberto Baggio vs Parma 1995 Serie A - Hattrick of Assists!

Baggio brings home the Serie A to Turin after a 8 year drought, with a phenomenal performance in the title deciding match against Parma

[@jackpuccini3143]

An absolutely incredible performance by Baggio; Parma were one of the very best teams in the world at this point, and had already won the Coppa Italia and Cup Winners Cup in the previous seasons, and that season they finished tied in second place with Lazio in Serie A, reached the Coppa Italia final against Juve, and beat Juve in the UEFA Cup final, and Baggio pulled off a playmaking master clas here in the title-deciding match, pulling the strings behind the forwards in midfield, assisting three goals with lovely passes and being involved in the fourth as well! This is for all those who say Baggio didn't deliver in big matches, and that he wasn't decisive that season! He was injured most of the year, but whenever he played, he contributed to the team's victories in their title run, and when it mattered most here, he delivered! I can't believe Juve let him go after he carried a weak side for five years against an almost invincible Milan side! He deserved better. Fortunately Del Piero was a worthy heir for Juve, but Baggio could've won it all with a strong Juve side build around him as well, and with a more offensive-minded manager like Lippi (even though they later clashed heavily at Inter); people think that Del Piero was the star that season, but it was Vialli. Del Piero had his breakthrough season, but still had a lot to prove, although he did prove himself over the next three seasons. Unfortunately Baggio played for Juve and Milan at the wrong time; if only we could know what could've been if he had remained at Juve, or if his time at Milan and Juve had been inverted!

[@kcapo89]

Baggio was clutch that one miss shouldn't define him and even if he had scored it wouldn't of meant they would of won

[@jackpuccini3143]

@@kcapo89 Yes, plus another legend like Baresi had missed beforehand (and he was also a good penalty taker despite being a defender, and who had scored four years earlier), which goes to show that anyone can miss; other great players have missed penalties in major finals, like Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo as well. And Albertini and Donadoni, who scored theirs in the 1994 World Cup final against Brazil, also missed theirs in 1998 and 1990 respectively, while Baggio scored his in 1990 and in 1998. Plus Baggio was injured, unfortunately. But the miss was so strange...not only because he's one of the best penalty takers ever statistically (he never missed a penalty for Italy in regulation time, and that was also the only time he had missed a penalty in a shootout), but because whenever he took them he always aimed low, so it's really difficult to understand how he could have mishit it over the bar, especially when he often scored decisive penalties throughout his career, so it's not like he couldn't handle pressure. I guess it must have been because he was injured and exhausted. But without him Italy would've gone out in the round of 16; instead we reached the final thanks to his heroics!

[@kcapo89]

@@jackpuccini3143 he played with injuries his whole career I dont blame him at all for missing

[@footballsgreatest2645]

www.football365.com/news/profile-of-an-icon-roberto-baggio A great article on Baggio, that miss and provides more context on his injury problems and helps one better appreciate his mental fortitude.

[@jackpuccini3143]

@@kcapo89 But neither do I; he's my favourite player and I didn't say anything negative about him or his miss, just that it was really sad for him of all people to miss the final spot kick and be remembered for that when he's one of the best players of all time and is so much more than that.