It was a season of reconstruction, with a new coach Alberto Zaccheroni at the helm and two huge signings, Olivier Bierhoff and Thomas Helveg, with other new faces like Roberto Ayala, Luigi Sala, Bruno N'Gotty, Federico Giunti and Andrés Guglielminpietro. The team, which often lined up in the Romagna coach's favoured 3-4-3, found its rhythm game by game and soon settled into the race for Champions League football. Surprisingly, Giovanni Trapattoni's Fiorentina were top at Christmas but AC Milan, as well as Lazio, were hot on their heels. The second half of the season saw the Rossoneri and Biancocelesti locked into a tight title race. AC Milan, who, after two poor seasons, were far from favourites at the start of the season, put together a run of good form towards the back end of the season, thanks to the chemistry between the coach, senior players and new arrivals. The final seven matchdays of the 1998/99 season occupy a special place in the annals of Rossoneri history because it led to an incredible Scudetto, yet one totally unexpected when the season began. In addition, it was the perfect celebration for the Club's centenary year. AC Milan took a full package of 21 points in their last seven games, closing the gap with Lazio before overtaking them thanks to a win over Perugia on the final day. That was how we won our 16th league title.
