Italians like to say that the perfect game – la partita perfetta – is a 0-0 final score because it means that no team made the mistake of giving up a goal. Of course, there are other ways to put together a perfect game that does involve scoring – especially when two attack-minded squads like AC Milan and Juventus take the field – and this past Saturday’s 1-1 game is a good example. The teams put on a fabulous display in a clash that was both tense and entertaining, but won’t decide this season’s Serie A title. 

The match – hyped prior to its start as the defining game of the season and this weekend’s biggest game in Europe – turned out to be a classic at the San Siro Stadium in Milan. The reigning Serie A champions AC Milan versus a rebuilt Juventus (the team had finished seventh overall last season) had all the ingredients of a perfect match and it did not disappoint. In true Italian fashion, the game also featured its fair share of controversy, two phantom goals and an overall poisonous atmosphere.  

For starters, the grass at the San Siro – usually beat up and in poor shape during the winter months – looked to be in perfect condition. The smooth pitch made it easier for both sides to move the ball forward in search of a goal. AC Milan struck first with a wonderful long-range strike after just 14 minutes with Antonio Nocerino. 

Despite the spectacular goal, the biggest talking point of the night was the failure on the part of the referee to award AC Milan’s Sulley Muntari a goal in the 25th minute when his whipping header clearly crossed the line.

If that wasn’t enough, the officiating crew made another blunder, this time against Juventus, when an Alessandro Matri goal with 11 minutes left in the game was ruled offside when he was clearly in line with the last defender. In the 83rd minute, Matri’s goal counted after he redirected the ball into the net to earn the draw. 

Juventus had already defeated AC Milan twice this season and have led in the standings for a better part of the season. AC Milan, battling opponents both domestically in Serie A and internationally in the Champions League, has done an exceptional job keeping pace. 

In their first meeting in October, Juventus downed AC Milan 2-0 with two late goals from Claudio Marchisio. Two weeks ago, in the first leg of the Italian Cup semifinals, Juventus won again, 2-1, with two goals from Martin Caceres. Their final meeting this season will come in a few weeks on March 21 in the second leg.  

The teams remain literally deadlocked at the top of the standings. AC Milan is technically in first place, a point above Juvenuts, who have a game in hand. The big difference is that Juventus had entered the game undefeated and with a completely healthy roster. On the other hand, AC Milan was dealing with several setbacks – the biggest one being the absence of star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic. The Swedish forward missed the game after being red carded in a league match earlier this month (for slapping a Napoli player) that resulted in a three-game ban. AC Milan felt his absence.  

The key for Juventus this season has been coach Antonio Conte and his unorthodox 4-2-4 lineup that focuses on using the flanks to score goals. The former Juventus midfielder won a Champions League and five league titles when he played for the Old Lady. Now, Conte’s out to prove that he’s also a great coach. Prior to this season, Juventus was the epitome of instability with its three coaches in four seasons prior to Conte’s hiring. 

AC Milan fans like to point out that Juventus lost two league titles in 2006 following allegations that it was involved in a match-fixing scandal and that Conte may or may not have had a hair transplant. AC Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri has helped catapult his side to the top of the standings thanks to his 4-3-3 formation and its all-Brazilian frontline of Robinho, Urby Emanuelson and Alexandre Pato. 

On AC Milan not being awarded what could have been the winning goal, Allegri told reporters instant replay wasn’t necessary since “it was pretty obvious from all round the stadium.” 

Conte criticized the overall tense atmosphere surrounding the game, saying, “This match was charged up too much by everyone beforehand.” 

The high-energy AC Milan-Juventus game was the latest example of how Italian soccer has regained some of its past luster. The recent performances of Italian clubs in the Champions League (AC Milan’s 3-0 win over Arsenal two weeks ago and Napoli’s 3-1 triumph over Chelsea last week) have helped improve the image of a league that had in recent years fallen behind the ones in England, Spain and Germany. 

Only time will tell whether it will be Juventus or AC Milan that will win the league title this spring. It could turn out to be Juventus’ year domestically, while AC Milan lifts the Champions League trophy. If that’s the case, then there would be no losers. In other words, it would be a perfect outcome for both clubs – and Italian soccer as a whole – if it ended up that way.