Serie A Year in Review: Top 5 moments of 2016

Juventus continued their reign at the summit of Serie A

2016 hasn’t been everyone’s favourite year - what with its penchant for mercilessly ending our favourite celebrity’s life or for fostering the world with orange-skinned idealogues. Yet, when it comes to football - specifically Italian football – 2016 will go down as one of the most eventful years till date.

It’s a bit incongruous to note that despite all the upheaval of a year that has seen some legends retire, club favourites leave, all-time records get shattered, the year ends with a familiar sight at the top of the table. Juventus march on to another Scudetto, but underneath them bubbles a volcano of clubs waiting to explode like Vesuvius.

Here are the top 5 moments of 2016 in Italian football.

#5 AC Milan end their trophy drought

Doha, Qatar.

Not many a Milanese would ever believe that the scene of where their resurgence as an Italian superpower began would be the Arabic nation, but that’s world football for you. In front of a sea of devoted Juve and Milan fans, Ignazio Abate lifted the first piece of silverware for the Rossoneri since 2011, which was made all the more sweeter by defeating the albatross of Italian football, Juventus.

It wasn’t easy – Juve never are. However, Vincenzo Montella’s young charges produced a display of defensive organization and attacking verve like the famed Milan sides of old, even outplaying Juventus for large spells of the match. After Leonardo Bonucci’s opener was cancelled out by the ever-reliable Giacomo Bonaventura, 120 minutes wasn’t enough to separate the two sides.

It came down to penalties, and fittingly, it was Milan’s crown prince, the 17-year-old Gianluigi Donnarumma, who won them the cup. The lanky teenager defied his years to intimidate Mario Mandzukic into striking his penalty against the bar, before producing a stunning save to deny Paulo Dybala and thus allow on-loan star Mario Pasalic to power home the decisive penalty and reduce old, wrinkled Rossoneri fans to sobbing tears of joy.

Casa Milan is glittering with silverware again.