The 1998-99 campaign was a deeply turbulent season for Juventus, as devastating knee injuries to talisman Alessandro Del Piero and Ballon d'Or winner Zinedine Zidane crippled the domestic challenge, leading to a disappointing 7th-place finish in Serie A. Despite the mid-season departure of Marcello Lippi for Carlo Ancelotti, The Old Lady found spectacular form in Europe, reaching the UEFA Champions League semi-finals where Filippo Inzaghi's prolific 20 goals across all competitions were on full display, including a quick brace in the 3-2 defeat to eventual champions Manchester United in the second leg. It was a dramatic year of transition that saw the rise of talents like Thierry Henry and ultimately secured a place in the UEFA Intertoto Cup.