Deportivo Coruna has, for the first time in its history, become football champion of Spain, defeating in the last round Espanol 2-0. The new champion won 69 points, five more than the second-placed Barcelona.
One of the best Deportivo`s defense players, Yugoslav national team player, Slavisa Jokanovic, has achieved what, six years ago wearing the same team's colors, another Yugoslav, Miroslav Djukic, did not accomplish. Deportivo, then also, was very near its first championship celebration, but in the final minute of the last round of Spanish championship, Djukic missed a penalty, which made his team lose the first place.
Milano, May 18:
Lazio claimed the double
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Lazio claimed the league and cup double when
they drew 0-0 with Inter Milan in the second-leg of the
Italian Cup final at the San Siro stadium to win the final 2-1
on aggregate.
Lazio were crowned Serie A champions for the first time in 26
years and only the second time in their history when they beat
Reggiana 3-0 and Juventus lost 1-0 at Perugia on a final day of the season.
At Perugia, the match was interrupted for more than an hour
at halftime due to a torrential downpour. Four minutes after it
did restart, Alessandro Calori scored the only goal. The
full-time whistle sparked wild celebrations in Rome's Olympic
Stadium where Lazio fans had filled the pitch waiting for news.
Juventus had led the championship for the previous 13 weeks and
held a nine-point lead just two months ago.
Rome, May 14:
Wild celebrations
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Two Yugoslav internationals, Sinisa Mihajlovic and Dejan Stankovic, also gave great contribution to the most successful Lazio`s season in the history of this club.
Team from Rome, after Juventus, received the least goals in the championship, thanking to the firm defense commanded by Mihajlovic. Lazio`s coach, Sven Goran Eriksson, claims that Yugoslav player is one of the best defensive players not only in the "calcio", but also in the entire Europe. As well as he was sure in defense, he was also dangerous in attack, as a shooter of free kicks and an assistant. Due to Mihajlovic`s excellent left leg shot, every team played against Lazio with great psychological burden, knowing that it must not make a foul within thirty meters of its goal.
Dejan Stankovic proved in this season that he was one of the most talented European players. Although he is only 21, former member of Red Star from Belgrade, plays like an experienced player and according to Eriksson`s words, Lazio should build its future on him.
After the unexpected epilogue of Italian football championship, the most critiques were on the account of Juventus` coach, Carlo Ancheloti, who did not sufficiently use indisputable qualities of Darko Kovacevic, striker in the Yugoslav national team. All comments in Italian newspapers ended with the same conclusion - although Kovacevic was the best player and scorer of his team in the last rounds of Italian league, he spent in the field maximum 20 minutes.
