Ah, Torino. Inflicting unintentional agony upon their support seems to be the way of doing things at the Olimpico pretty much since their last Scudetto in the ’70s.
Relegations, European final heartbreak and even a summer of uncertainty wondering whether or not they would even have a club to support, it is all part and parcel of being Granata.
But all of that looked like it would be set to come to an end last Sunday on a scorching day in Turin with Torino knowing that three points against Parma would mean that they would return to the unbelievably unexpected heights of European football next season.
This team was one expected to struggle this season, many outside of its hardcore fanbase tipping them for relegation or a long fight against it at least.
Even the most hardened and dedicated of Toro fans could not have expected the journey that this magical season would bring them upon.
And yet it could all be set to end in heartache despite the fact that it was so close that fans could be forgiven for already writing Thursday nights off next season.
It was sitting on a silver plate, no complications, and as Torino tend to do, it squirmed out of their grasp in devastating fashion.
Ciro Immobile’s first half gamble on a poor back pass saw him richly rewarded with what looked like it could be the goal that launched a thousand (okay, perhaps dozens) flights to far-flung desintations like Iceland and Kazakhstan for the Europa League.
With 20 minutes remaining, things were looking good. Songs were being sung in the sun anticipating a massive three points and even better, a lethargic Parma had been reduced to 10 men after Alessandro Lucarelli was shown a red card for dragging down Immobile as he ran in on goal.
A man advantage, a goal advantage and it all got away. Kamil Glik put in a reckless tackle inside his own penalty area, and regardless of whether or not you believe it was in fact a foul the nature of it was ill-advised, and with that the Ducali were handed a lifeline from nowhere.
Antonio Cassano took the penalty and missed it. Hope renewed? No. The Torino players, perhaps so surprised that goalkeeper Daniele Padelli had managed to stop the kick, were slow to react and Jonathan Biabiany knocked home the rebound.
Moments later, things got worse when Immobile, Capocannoniere in waiting, was shown a second yellow card for flinging himself to the ground in the box in an ambitious attempt to win his side a penalty.
Foolish it was, even more so when the game ended a draw and left Torino heading for Fiorentina looking for a win in Tuscany to try and ensure their Europa League spot.
But they will be doing that in the absence of Immobile, a realisation that perhaps only sunk in somewhat after the full time whistle.
Riccardo Meggiorini, a striker with over 30 appearances this season (admittedly not all of them starts) and not one goal to show for his efforts will be the man to likely come in and try and fire his team to sixth spot.
It hardly fills you with confidence.
Alessio Cerci has looked bright again of late and has traditionally performed well against the Viola for whom he enjoyed a less than happy spell. Once more he will be the undisputed go to guy for trying to get a result.
Without Immobile, the task looks that much harder but it is perhaps the name of Fiorentina that is more frightening than the prospect of facing the team itself.
They have already drawn with them in Turin this season, 0-0 in a desperately drab encounter, but Toro have been good on the road this season, picking up 1.28 points per game outside their home, higher than the 1.12 league average.
And Fiorentina look to be seeing out the season since their Coppa Italia loss. An unconvincing 1-0 win at Bologna last weekend was preceded by a very poor defeat at home to Sassuolo.
Yet, surprising as it may seem with their contrasting league positions, without their star striker, Toro’s attack has not a patch on the Berardi-Zaza-Sansone trio of the Neroverdi.
But a Viola side with nothing to play for against a Torino side with everything to play for on the final day for a shot at European glory is still a reasonable ask of your team.
Don’t make those moments of madness against Parma be looked upon in the years to come as a massive missed opportunity.
Yes, they were 20 minutes from glory but they have 90 more to make amends.
Pun intended, it is time to grab the bull by the horns one last time.
