1987–88 Serie A

Serie A
Season	1987–88
Dates	13 September 1987 – 15 May 1988
Champions	Milan; 11th title
Relegated	Avellino; Empoli
European Cup	Milan
Cup Winners' Cup	Sampdoria
UEFA Cup	Napoli; Roma; Internazionale; Juventus
Matches played	240
Goals scored	504 (2.1 per match)
Top goalscorer	Diego Maradona; (15 goals)
Longest winning run	18 matches; Napoli
Longest unbeaten run	19 matches; Milan
Longest winless run	5 matches; Avellino
Longest losing run	14 matches; Pescara
	← 1986–87 1988–89 → All statistics correct as of 15 May 1988.

Ascoli

Avellino

Serie A 1987-88 team distribution

The 1987–88 Serie A was won by Milan.

Teams

Pescara, Pisa and Cesena had been promoted from Serie B.

Season summary

The summer of 1987 brought several notable players into the Italian championship: Vincenzo Scifo (for Internazionale), Ian Rush (Juventus), Ruud Gullit and Marco van Basten (Milan).^[1] The reigning champions Napoli started well leading the league after five matches.^[2] Inter and Juventus had several issues.^[3]

Napoli retained top-place in autumn and winter, suffering only one defeat in the first 20 games.^[4]^[5]^[6] In March Napoli began to struggle, and ultimately only won 2 of the 10 remaining fixtures. Milan who had been in second place for much of the season were able to reduce the points deficit with a prolonged undefeated run.^[7]^[8] Their head-to-head match, played on 1 May 1988, ended in a 3–2 win for Milan putting them 1 point ahead in the title race with two games remaining to play.^[9] Milan drew their final games, but Napoli did worse, losing both matches.^[10] It led to Milan's 11th title and its first since 1979.^[11] This season was the last with 16 teams playing, as two relegations and four promotions from Serie B meant that from 1988–89 there would be 18 clubs in the top flight.

Final classification

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification or relegation
1	Milan (C)	30	17	11	2	43	14	+29	45	Qualification to European Cup
2	Napoli	30	18	6	6	55	27	+28	42	Qualification to UEFA Cup
3	Roma	30	15	8	7	39	26	+13	38	Qualification to UEFA Cup
4	Sampdoria	30	13	11	6	41	30	+11	37	Qualification to Cup Winners' Cup
5	Internazionale	30	11	10	9	42	35	+7	32	Qualification to UEFA Cup
6	Juventus^[a]	30	11	9	10	35	30	+5	31	Qualification to UEFA Cup
7	Torino	30	8	15	7	33	30	+3	31
8	Fiorentina	30	9	10	11	29	33	−4	28
9	Cesena	30	7	12	11	23	32	−9	26
10	Hellas Verona	30	7	11	12	23	30	−7	25
11	Como	30	6	13	11	22	37	−15	25
12	Ascoli	30	6	12	12	30	37	−7	24
13	Pisa	30	6	12	12	23	30	−7	24
14	Pescara	30	8	8	14	27	44	−17	24
15	Avellino (R)	30	5	13	12	19	39	−20	23	Relegation to Serie B
16	Empoli^[b] (R)	30	6	13	11	20	30	−10	20	Relegation to Serie B

Source: 1987–88 Serie A, RSSSF.com
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Head-to-head points; 3) Head-to-head goal difference; 4) Goal difference; 5) Goals scored; 6) Draw.^[12]
(C) Champions; (R) Relegated
Notes:

^ Juventus won the UEFA Cup qualification match against Torino 0–0*(4:2) then qualified to 1988–89 UEFA Cup.
^ Empoli was penalised of 5 points from the start of the season.

Results

Home \ Away	ASC	AVE	CES	COM	EMP	FIO	INT	JUV	MIL	NAP	PES	PIS	ROM	SAM	TOR	VER
Ascoli	—	2–0	0–0	0–0	2–0	3–0	2–1	1–1	1–1	1–3	2–1	2–2	1–1	1–1	3–0	1–1
Avellino	1–1	—	1–1	1–1	1–0	1–1	1–3	1–0	0–0	0–1	1–1	1–0	2–3	1–2	2–1	1–0
Cesena	1–0	1–1	—	3–0	1–1	1–0	2–2	0–0	0–0	0–1	0–1	1–1	0–0	2–0	0–0	1–0
Como	3–1	0–0	2–0	—	3–2	1–0	1–2	1–1	1–1	0–0	2–1	0–0	0–1	0–1	0–0	1–1
Empoli	2–0	0–0	2–2	1–1	—	0–0	1–1	1–0	0–0	0–0	3–2	0–1	2–1	2–2	0–0	1–0
Fiorentina	1–0	2–1	3–1	1–1	0–0	—	1–2	1–1	1–1	3–2	4–0	0–0	1–0	1–1	1–0	0–0
Internazionale	2–2	1–1	2–0	1–0	2–0	3–0	—	2–1	0–1	1–1	0–2	2–1	4–2	3–1	0–1	1–1
Juventus	1–0	3–0	0–2	1–0	4–0	1–2	1–0	—	0–1	3–1	3–1	2–1	1–0	1–1	2–1	0–0
Milan	2–0	3–0	3–0	5–0	1–0	0–2	2–0	0–0	—	4–1	2–0	1–0	0–2	2–1	0–0	0–0
Napoli	2–1	4–0	2–0	3–0	2–1	4–0	1–0	2–1	2–3	—	6–0	2–1	1–2	1–2	3–1	4–1
Pescara	0–0	2–0	1–0	2–0	0–0	1–1	1–1	2–0	0–2	0–1	—	2–1	0–0	0–0	2–2	3–0
Pisa	1–1	0–0	1–0	1–1	0–0	2–1	2–1	1–2	1–3	0–2	2–0	—	1–1	0–1	2–0	0–0
Roma	3–0	0–0	2–0	3–1	1–0	2–1	3–2	2–0	0–2	1–1	5–1	1–0	—	0–2	1–1	1–0
Sampdoria	2–0	2–0	4–1	3–0	2–0	1–0	1–1	2–2	1–1	0–1	2–1	0–0	0–0	—	1–1	3–1
Torino	2–1	0–0	2–2	1–1	0–1	2–1	1–1	2–2	1–1	0–0	2–0	3–1	2–0	4–1	—	1–1
Hellas Verona	2–1	4–1	0–1	0–1	1–0	1–0	1–1	2–1	0–1	1–1	2–0	0–0	0–1	3–1	0–2	—

Source: ^{[citation needed]}
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

UEFA Cup qualification

23 May 1988

Juventus	0–0 (a.e.t.)	Torino

Penalties
Vignola De Agostini Brio Cabrini Rush	4–2	Cravero Bresciani Comi Benedetti

Stadio Comunale Vittorio Pozzo, Turin

Referee: Pietro D'Elia (Salerno)

Juventus qualified for 1988–89 UEFA Cup.

Top goalscorers

Rank	Player	Club	Goals
1	Diego Maradona	Napoli	15
2	Careca	Napoli	13
3	Pietro Paolo Virdis	Milan	11
3	Giuseppe Giannini	Roma	11
5	Gianluca Vialli	Sampdoria	10
6	Ruud Gullit	Milan	9
	Walter Schachner	Avellino
	Alessandro Altobelli	Internazionale
	Toni Polster	Torino

Attendances

SSC Napoli drew the highest average home attendance in the 1987-88 edition of the Serie A.

#	Football club	Home games	Average attendance^[13]
1	SSC Napoli	15	73,745
2	AC Milan	15	72,177
3	Internazionale	15	47,502
4	AS Roma	15	43,696
5	Juventus	15	32,732
6	Fiorentina	15	31,254
7	Torino FC	15	29,071
8	Hellas Verona	15	27,077
9	US Avellino	15	23,219
10	Pescara Calcio	15	22,961
11	AC Cesena	15	18,054
12	Sampdoria	15	17,440
13	Pisa SC	15	16,590
14	Ascoli Calcio	15	15,150
15	Empoli FC	15	10,977
16	Como Calcio	15	10,852

References

^ Gianni Brera (12 September 1987). "I giorni del calcio". la Repubblica (in Italian). p. 1.
^ Gianni Mura (13 October 1987). "Il fenomeno Napoli". la Repubblica (in Italian). p. 23.
^ Gianni Brera (27 October 1987). "Qualcosa di travolgente". la Repubblica (in Italian). p. 45.
^ Gianni Brera (3 November 1987). "Maradona padre nostro". la Repubblica (in Italian). p. 35.
^ Gianni Brera (24 November 1987). "Caro Napoli, vai troppo forte". la Repubblica (in Italian). p. 33.
^ "Da Boniperti complimenti al Napoli". la Repubblica (in Italian). 24 December 1987. p. 19.
^ Gianni Brera (22 March 1988). "Favole per la primavera". la Repubblica (in Italian). p. 23.
^ Gianni Mura (19 April 1988). "Vi dà fastidio lo scudetto bis?". la Repubblica (in Italian). p. 34.
^ Licia Granello (3 May 1988). "Ma non è ancora scudetto". la Repubblica (in Italian). p. 34.
^ Gianni Mura (15 May 1988). "La rivoluzione del sor Capanna". la Repubblica (in Italian). p. 23.
^ Massimo Agostini (17 May 1988). "Juve, ancora lacrime". la Repubblica (in Italian). p. 26.
^ "Norme organizzative interne della F.I.G.C. - Art. 51.6" (PDF) (in Italian). Italian Football Federation. 12 September 2018. Retrieved 11 November 2018.
^ https://www.worldfootball.net/attendance/ita-serie-a-1987-1988/1/

Sources

Panini Group, ed. (1988). Almanacco Illustrato del Calcio 1989 (in Italian). Modena.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)

External links

it:Classifica calcio Serie A italiana 1989 - Italian version with pictures and info.
Italy Championship 1987/88 - All results on RSSSF Website.

[table_note_JUV0.95839369201958-12] Juventus won the UEFA Cup qualification match against Torino 0–0*(4:2) then qualified to 1988–89 UEFA Cup.

[table_note_EMP0.95839369201958-13] Empoli was penalised of 5 points from the start of the season.

[1] Gianni Brera (12 September 1987). "I giorni del calcio". la Repubblica (in Italian). p. 1.

[2] Gianni Mura (13 October 1987). "Il fenomeno Napoli". la Repubblica (in Italian). p. 23.

[3] Gianni Brera (27 October 1987). "Qualcosa di travolgente". la Repubblica (in Italian). p. 45.

[4] Gianni Brera (3 November 1987). "Maradona padre nostro". la Repubblica (in Italian). p. 35.

[5] Gianni Brera (24 November 1987). "Caro Napoli, vai troppo forte". la Repubblica (in Italian). p. 33.

[6] "Da Boniperti complimenti al Napoli". la Repubblica (in Italian). 24 December 1987. p. 19.

[7] Gianni Brera (22 March 1988). "Favole per la primavera". la Repubblica (in Italian). p. 23.

[8] Gianni Mura (19 April 1988). "Vi dà fastidio lo scudetto bis?". la Repubblica (in Italian). p. 34.

[9] Licia Granello (3 May 1988). "Ma non è ancora scudetto". la Repubblica (in Italian). p. 34.

[10] Gianni Mura (15 May 1988). "La rivoluzione del sor Capanna". la Repubblica (in Italian). p. 23.

[11] Massimo Agostini (17 May 1988). "Juve, ancora lacrime". la Repubblica (in Italian). p. 26.

[14] "Norme organizzative interne della F.I.G.C. - Art. 51.6" (PDF) (in Italian). Italian Football Federation. 12 September 2018. Retrieved 11 November 2018.

[15] ttps://www.worldfootball.net/attendance/ita-serie-a-1987-1988/1/

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v t e Serie A seasons
Prima Categoria	1897–98 1898–99 1899-1900 1900–01 1901–02 1902–03 1903–04 1904–05 1905–06 1906–07 1907–08 1908–09 1909–10 1910–11 1911–12 1912–13 1913–14 1914–15 1915–16 1916–17 1917–18 1918–19 1919–20 1920–21 1921–22 FIGC
Prima Divisione	1921–22 CCI 1922–23 1923–24 1924–25 1925–26
Divisione Nazionale	1926–27 1927–28 1928–29
Serie A	1929–30 1930–31 1931–32 1932–33 1933–34 1934–35 1935–36 1936–37 1937–38 1938–39 1939–40 1940–41 1941–42 1942–43
Divisione Nazionale	1943–44 1944–45 1945–46
Serie A	1946–47 1947–48 1948–49 1949–50 1950–51 1951–52 1952–53 1953–54 1954–55 1955–56 1956–57 1957–58 1958–59 1959–60 1960–61 1961–62 1962–63 1963–64 1964–65 1965–66 1966–67 1967–68 1968–69 1969–70 1970–71 1971–72 1972–73 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20 2020–21 2021–22 2022–23 2023–24 2024–25
Wartime tournaments: 1916 Coppa Federale 1944 Alta Italia

v t e 1987–88 in European football (UEFA)
Domestic leagues	Albania Austria Belgium Bulgaria Cyprus Czechoslovakia Denmark '87 '88 England Faroe Islands '87 '88 Finland '87 '88 France East Germany West Germany Greece Hungary Iceland '87 '88 Israel Italy Luxembourg Malta Netherlands Northern Ireland Norway '87 '88 Poland Portugal Republic of Ireland Romania San Marino Scotland Soviet Union '87 '88 Spain Sweden '87 '88 Switzerland Turkey Yugoslavia
Domestic cups	Albania Austria Belgium Bulgaria Cyprus Czechoslovakia Denmark England Faroe Islands '87 '88 Finland '87 '88 France East Germany West Germany Greece Hungary Iceland '87 '88 Israel Italy Liechtenstein Luxembourg Malta Netherlands Northern Ireland Norway '87 '88 Poland Portugal Republic of Ireland Romania San Marino Scotland Soviet Union Spain Sweden Switzerland Turkey Wales Yugoslavia
League cups	England Israel Northern Ireland Republic of Ireland Scotland Soviet Union '87 '88
Supercups	West Germany
UEFA competitions	European Cup (Final) Cup Winners' Cup (Final) UEFA Cup (Final) Super Cup
Non-UEFA competitions	Intertoto Cup Balkans Cup