1978–79 A.C. Perugia season

Associazione Calcio Perugia

1978-79 season
Chairman
Manager	Ilario Castagner
Stadium	Renato Curi
Serie A	2nd (in UEFA Cup)
Coppa Italia	Quarterfinals
Top goalscorer	League: (9) All: Speggiorin (11)
Average home league attendance	20 984[1]
Home colours Away colours
←   →

During the 1978–79 season A.C. Perugia competed in Serie A and Coppa Italia.

Summary[]

A.C. Perugia were the first team during the round-robin era to go through the season undefeated, although due to their number of drawn matches, they finished second in the league.

The campaign is best recalled as Perugia and the undefeated season of miracles, The Grifoni, displaying the prowess of the legendary beast their nickname is derived from, produced a feat never before achieved at the highest level of Italian football: going a season undefeated. With the head of a lion and the body of an eagle, there's a majesty about a Gryphon, and in this particular season, Perugia lived up to its reputation. That they failed to secure the Scudetto shouldn't detract from their momentous achievement; it should define it.

‘Never loses, but does not win’ is an ill-thought barb often stabbed at this particular Perugia team's fate, and like so many such disparaging comments, although there is an element of truth in it, there also a substantial amount of bitterness from the tifosi of the more established powers in the game that their team didn't achieve such a record.^[2]

With just six games of the season remaining, the unlikely title challengers sat just two points behind leaders Milan and still had to host the Rossoneri after gaining a 1–1 draw away earlier in the campaign.

A win could have ensured that Perugia put themselves in pole position in the run-in but despite being cheered on by an immensely intimidating atmosphere, Gianfranco Casarsa's spot kick which cancelled out Stefano Chiodi's penalty for Milan minutes earlier, meant that the title was Milan's to lose.

Despite disappointing draws away to Catanzaro and Hellas Verona in the weeks that followed, Perugia were still in with a chance of final day success providing that Milan lost and Perugia picked up the win away to Bologna.

Although Salvatore Bagni's brace put the visitors ahead and had their fans dreaming once more, Bologna rallied and fought to a 2–2 draw which brought an end to the fairytale but still meant that despite all the odds, Perugia had not only mustered a title challenge but ended the season without once tasting defeat.^[3]

Squad[]

^[4] Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player — GK  ITA — GK  ITA — GK  ITA — DF  ITA — DF  ITA — DF  ITA — DF  ITA Pierluigi Frosio (Captain) — DF  ITA Michele Nappi — DF  ITA Daniele Tacconi — DF  ITA Luciano Zecchini

No. Pos. Nation Player — MF  ITA Salvatore Bagni — MF  ITA — MF  ITA Paolo Dal Fiume — MF  ITA — MF  ITA — MF  ITA — FW  ITA — FW  ITA — FW  ITA

Transfers[]

^[5][6]

Competitions[]

Serie A[]

League table[]

Pos	Team v t	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification or relegation
1	Milan (C)	30	17	10	3	46	19	+27	44	Qualification to European Cup
2	Perugia	30	11	19	0	34	16	+18	41	Qualification to UEFA Cup
3	Juventus	30	12	13	5	40	23	+17	37	Qualification to Cup Winners' Cup
4	Internazionale	30	10	16	4	38	24	+14	36	Qualification to UEFA Cup
5	Torino	30	11	14	5	35	23	+12	36

Result by round[]

Matches[]

Coppa Italia[]

Group phase[]

Quarterfinals[]

Statistics[]

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Players statistics[]

No.	Pos	Nat	Player	Total		Serie A
				Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
	GK	ITA	Malizia	28	-15	27+1	-15
	DF	ITA	Ceccarini	29	1	29	1
	DF	ITA	Della Martira	29	0	29	0
	DF	ITA	Frosio	24	1	24	1
	DF	ITA	Nappi	21	0	21	0
	MF	ITA	Dal Fiume	28	3	28	3
	MF	ITA	Bagni	28	8	28	8
	MF	ITA	Butti	26	1	26	1
	MF	ITA	Redeghieri	23	0	20+3	0
	FW	ITA	Casarsa	28	4	28	4
	FW	ITA	Speggiorini	26	9	26	9
	GK	ITA	Grassi	3	-1	3	-1
	DF	ITA	Zecchini	14	0	8+6	0
	DF	ITA	Tacconi	3	0	0+3	0
	MF	ITA	Vannini	17	3	17	3
	MF	ITA	Goretti	12	0	9+3	0
	FW	ITA	Cacciatori	14	1	7+7	1
	GK	ITA	Mancini	0	0	0	0
	DF	ITA	Dall'Oro	0	0	0	0
	GK	ITA	Balducci	0	0	0	0
	GK	ITA	Redomi	0	0	0	0

See also[]

• List of unbeaten football club seasons

References[]

• Arrigo Beltrami, Almanacco illustrato del Calcio 1980, Franco Cosimo Panini Editore Modena 1979
• Marco Sappino (2000), Dizionario del calcio italiano, 2000, Baldini & Castoldi Milano, ISBN 88-8089-862-0

External links[]

• Maurizio Mariani (26 October 2000). "Italy Championship 1978/79".