10. Youngster hits four against AC Milan: Sassuolo’s Domenico Berardi, 20, scores
all his side’s goals in a 4-3. It was the first time in 80 years someone so young
had scored four goals in a Serie A match, and the result signalled the end for
Massimilano Allegri.
9. Crystal Palace 3-3 Liverpool: Steven Gerrard’s slip against
Chelsea was the talking point, but the turning point in Liverpool’s failed hunt for
the Premier League title was when they spurned a 3-0 lead at Palace on May 5.
8. MK Dons 4-0 Manchester United: Louis van Gaal realised the scale of his task
after a thrashing by lower-league opposition in the League Cup. Players were
shipped out, superstars brought in, and the Dutchman has turned United back
into contenders.
7. Faroe Islands stun Greece: The minnows’ 1-0 win at a team which reached the
World Cup last-16 ended Claudio Ranieri’s brief tenure as Greece coach. It was
the Faroes’ first competitive win in over three years.
6. Atletico Madrid win La Liga: No-one thought Diego Simeone’s side could do it,
but Atletico drew at Barcelona in the final game of the season to cling on to
first place and break a decade-long Liga duopoly.
5. Riot cops beat players, fans: Ivory Coast and Cameroon played out a tiresome
goalless draw to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations – but fans weren’t
impressed by the lack of effort and all hell broke loose, with Gervinho one of
several players struck,
lub president Sandro Rosell was forced to resign as
investigations were launched into his Barcelona transfer dealings, and soon
enough the true cost of Neymar’s move was revealed, with his dad netting 70%
of the fee. It was the biggest payment for an agent in football history.
3. Luis Suarez bites Giorgio Chiellini: For the third time in his career, Suarez
sunk his teeth into an opponent. Uruguay knocked Italy out of the World Cup,
but Suarez was sent home in disgrace, banned for four months and given
psychological help. That didn’t stop Uruguay claiming it was an English-led
conspiracy, while Barcelona still spent €81m on the Liverpool forward.
2. Brazil 1-7 Germany: It was supposed to be the hosts’ World Cup, but they
were hammered in a famous semi-final by the eventual winners. Their biggest
ever defeat was just desserts for a poor tournament by Brazil, who reached the
semis by hook or by crook and lost their collective nerve after Neymar was
injured in the quarter-finals.
1. Arsenal on an open-top bus: After nine years without a trophy, the Gunners
stunned the football world by touching silver thanks to an FA Cup win over Hull
City. The streets of Islington were packed but, with Arsenal struggling again this
season despite some big-name transfers, many fans feel that this trophy papered over the cracks.
source:goal.com
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