Associazione Calcio Fiorentina enjoyed its best season in the 1990s on the pitch, but was left wondering what might have been. Leading the domestic Serie A championship a long way into the season, Fiorentina's title charge fell to pieces, as it lost unnecessary points while eventual champions Milan and runners-up Lazio continued winning their matches. In the end, Fiorentina salvaged third place in the league, qualifying for the UEFA Champions League in 1999–2000.
Its European adventure in 1998–99 however, ended early, when a handmade bomb was thrown at a linesman in the victory against Swiss side Grasshoppers. The linesman escaped serious injury, but Fiorentina were declared losers of the match, despite its victory on the pitch, and were thus thrown out of the tournament. However, it avoided further sanctions. Fiorentina also lost the Coppa Italia Final to Parma, marking another season without titles.
Several players were impressive, with the trio Gabriel Batistuta, Rui Costa and Francesco Toldo being the players really standing out. The defensive line-up and the many goals conceded were the main reasons Fiorentina would not win the title.
Players
Transfers In Pos. Name from Type DF Moreno TorricelliJuventus MF Jorg HeinrichBorussia Dortmund FW Carmine EspositoEmpoli DF Tomas RepkaSparta Prague MF Guillermo Amor Barcelona Out Pos. Name To TypeFW Francesco Flachi Ancona GK Valerio FioriPiacenza DF Michele SerenaAtletico Madrid MF Stefan SchwarzValencia MF Andrei KanchelskisGlasgow Rangers MF Domenico MorfeoA.C. Milan loan
Competitions
Serie A
League table
Results summary
Results by round
Matches
Coppa Italia
Round of 32
Eightfinals
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
Final
UEFA Cup
First round
Second round
Other matches and friendlies
Statistics Players statistics
Goalscorers Gabriel Batistuta 27 Rui Costa 9 (3) Edmundo 8
References