The beauty of football lies in its unpredictability. A team can be on top of the league, seemingly cruising to the title, only to have it all slip away. History is filled with examples of clubs that were tantalizingly close to winning the championship, only to see it vanish into thin air.
A Look Back at Some Dramatic Collapses
Let’s take a trip down memory lane and revisit some of the most shocking cases where teams blew it. The Premier League, Serie A, and LaLiga have all witnessed dramatic turnarounds.
Take the 1995/96 Premier League season, for instance. Newcastle United was on a roll, holding a 12-point lead in mid-January. But they suffered a stunning collapse, losing five of their next eight games. Manchester United seized the opportunity, surging to the top to claim the title.
The 2001/02 Serie A season was another nail-biter. Inter Milan, with Sérgio Conceição on their team, topped the table going into the final matchday. However, a shocking 2-4 loss to Lazio saw them slip to third place. Roma and Juventus overtook them, with Juventus ultimately claiming the championship.
Real Madrid’s 2003/04 campaign is another case in point. With Carlos Queiroz at the helm and Luís Figo leading the charge, they boasted an eight-point advantage with 12 games to go. But they faltered, losing six of their last seven matches to finish fourth, seven points behind champions Valencia.
Other notable mentions include:
- Blackburn Rovers, who led the 1994/95 Premier League by a whopping 11 points, only to see Manchester United pip them to the title on the final day.
- AC Milan, who dominated the 1998/99 Serie A with a seven-point cushion, but ultimately finished a point behind Lazio.
These examples serve as a reminder that in football, nothing is ever certain. The Ajax’s current form may be impressive, but history has shown that a single misstep can change the course of a season.