What happened in Serie A 1934-35

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In the previous season the scudetto was won by Juventus ahead of Ambrosiana Inter and Napoli. The Nerazzurri had a four-point lead over the Bianconeri at half way. Juventus managed to reduce the gap but Ambrosiana led through most of the season until the 29th fixture when the Nerazzurri lost in Florence and the Bianconeri by winning at Brescia managed to overtake them. Inter never recovered.

The two teams who had fought a hard battle were clearly the favourites for the 1934-35 title with perhaps Lazio as an outsider since the Biancocelesti had signed Giuseppe Viani, Attilio Ferraris IV and Silvio Piola, a promising forward.

June-September

The Central European Cup was played between the end of the previous season and the start of the new one. It was competition held between teams from Italy, Czechoslovakia, Hungary and Austria. Four clubs each. Italy was represented by Juventus, Ambrosiana Inter, Napoli and Bologna. In the Round of 16 played in June, Bologna and Juventus qualified for the quarter finals by beating Bocskai SC and Tepkitzer FK, whereas Ambrosiana Inter and Napoli were eliminated by SK Kladno and SK Admira. In July the remaining Italian clubs qualified for the semi-finals overcoming Ujpesti FC and SK Rapid.

The semis, played in late July saw Bologna prevail over Ferencvarosi FC but Juve were eliminated by SK Admira. The final in September saw Bologna lose the first leg 3-2 but win the second 5-1. The Cup was theirs.

September & October

Fiorentina and Juventus surged ahead in the first four games. The Bianconeri won all their games except the Turin derby, the Viola drew with Milan.

Fiorentina 7, Juventus 7, Ambrosiana Inter 6, Lazio 6, Torino 5, Roma 4, Milan 4, Livorno 4, Bologna 3, Napoli 3, Alessandria 3, Sampierdanese 3, Palermo 3, Brescia 3, Triestina 2, Pro Vercelli 1

November

In the fifth fixture Lazio went top with Fiorentina after they beat Juventus in a spectacular 5-3. The Biancocelesti were re-overtaken by the Viola in the sixth game when they drew the derby and were caught up by Juventus who beat Ambrosiana Inter. They then fell further back when they lost at home with Milan.

Fiorentina 12, Juventus 11, Roma 9, Lazio 9, Milan 8, Torino 8, Ambrosiana Inter 7, Napoli 7, Triestina 7, Alessandria 6, Sampierdanese 6, Livorno 6, Bologna 5, Palermo 5, Brescia 5, Pro Vercelli 1

December

Fiorentina closed the year with a three-point lead over Roma and Juventus. It was however all very tight with just 8 points between second place and 15th. Milan and Ambrosiana Inter drew the derby 2-2.

Fiorentina 17, Roma 14, Juventus 14, Ambrosiana Inter 11, Milan 11, Alessandria 10, Torino 10, Triestina 10, Lazio 9, Brescia 9, Bologna 5, Napoli 8, Livorno 8, Palermo 7, Sampierdanese 6, Pro Vercelli 3

January

1935 opened with some spectacular scores: Alessandria-Roma 1-6, Ambrosiana Inter-Brescia 5-1, Bologna-Milan 6-3, and Torino-Sampierdanese 5-2. Fiorentina went +4 after the 12th fixture but the lead was halved when they lost to Bologna.

Fiorentina 23, Juventus 21, Ambrosiana Inter 19, Roma 17, Napoli 17, Lazio 16, Torino 14, Triestina 14, Milan 13, Bologna 13, Alessandria 13, Brescia 12, Palermo 11, Livorno 9, Sampierdanese 7, Pro Vercelli 5

February

In the 17 fixture Fiorentina went +3 on Juventus after beating Milan. Below, it seemed that for the moment the battle to stay up was between Sampierdanese and Livorno with Pro Vercelli looking rather doomed.

Fiorentina 27, Ambrosiana Inter 24, Juventus 24, Roma 20, Lazio 19, Triestina 19, Napoli 18, Bologna 17, Alessandria 17, Torino 15, Milan 15, Brescia 15, Palermo 15, Sampierdanese 11, Livorno 10, Pro Vercelli 6

March

Fiorentina first lost to Pro Vercelli and drew with Palermo so were joined at the top by Juventus after the 19th fixture. The Bianconeri won the derby while the Rome clash ended goalless. Below, Livorno had caught up with Sampierdanese and now the two teams were only a couple of points behind Torino.

Juventus 31, Fiorentina 31, Ambrosiana Inter 30, Roma 25, Lazio 22, Bologna 21, Alessandria 21, Palermo 21, Napoli 20, Milan 20, Triestina 20, Brescia 20, Torino 16, Sampierdanese 14, Livorno 14, Pro Vercelli 10

April

Fiorentina again lost points against a team fighting to stay in Serie A as they drew at home with Sampierdanese. They were hence joined in second place by Ambrosiana Inter while Juventus went top alone, after beating Livorno who fell to the penultimate position in the table. The Bianconeri however lost at Trieste and the Nerazzurri by winning the derby took the solitary lead but it lasted just one game as they were stopped at Vercelli and Juve beat Bologna. Fiorentina held firm and were only a point away.

Ambrosiana Inter 36, Juventus 36, Fiorentina 35, Roma 27, Lazio 27, Palermo 26, Triestina 26, Alessandria 25, Bologna 24, Napoli 24, Milan 22, Brescia 22, Torino 21, Sampierdanese 20, Livorno 18, Pro Vercelli 11

May & June

Juventus went back in the lead with four games to the end of the season when they beat Palermo, Ambrosiana drew at Brescia and Fiorentina lost at home to Livorno. In the 27th fixture the Bianconeri lost 3-0 against Milan away but Ambrosiana could only muster a draw in Genoa with Sampierdanese. Fiorentina were one point behind after beating Bologna. In the penultimate match the top two teams won and the Viola lost at Alessandria and were forced to throw in the towel. Last two games of the season: Lazio-Ambrosiana, Fiorentina-Juventus. Inter collapsed in Rome and the Bianconeri won in Florence securing the title. An event which would happen again in 2002.

In the fight to stay in Serie A with one game to go, the table read: Milan and Brescia 25 points, Sampierdanese and Livorno 24, Torino 23. Pro Vercelli were already in Serie B. The big match was Torino-Livorno, whoever won would stay in Serie A. And it was the home side that clinched the victory so the Tuscan Amaranto were relegated.

Juventus, Ambrosiana Inter, Fiorentina and Roma would be playing the Central European Cup next season. Bari and Genoa were promoted from Serie B. Top scorer was Enrique Guaita (Roma) with 28 goals.

Final table: Juventus 44, Ambrosiana Inter 42, Fiorentina 39, Roma 35, Lazio 32, Bologna 30, Napoli 29, Alessandria 29, Palermo 29, Milan 27, Triestina 27, Brescia 27, Sampierdanese 26, Torino 25, Livorno 24, Pro Vercelli 15