It was the best season in Brescia's modern history and Mario Balotelli had a pitch-side view.
In the summer of 2000, newly promoted Brescia pulled off a massive coup by securing the signature of 33-year-old Roberto Baggio, who was a free agent after leaving Inter Milan. In the second half of the 2000-01 season, Baggio was joined at Stadio Mario Rigamonti by a young Andrea Pirlo, who had been loaned back to his formative club by Inter. It was while attempting to fit the two playmakers into his starting XI that Brescia coach Carlo Mazzone had the inspired idea to move Pirlo back into the deep-lying regista role where he would go on to make his name.