April 5, 1961: Inter-Lazio 0-1, Coppa Italia
- Dag Jenkins
- Apr 5
- 8 min read
Score early, resist and conquer
Lazio score after four minutes and then defend the result
The season so far
The previous season Lazio had finished 12th in Serie A, under manager Fulvio Bernardini. The Biancocelesti had reached the semi-finals of Coppa Italia but lost 0-3 to Juventus. Lazio then won the consolation final beating Torino 2-1. Top scorer was Orlando Rozzoni with 16 goals (13 in A).
This season Bernardini was still in charge. The financial situation at the club meant there was not much space to manoeuvre on the transfer market. The main new players were: defender Alfredo Napoleoni (Cirio - back from loan), forwards Paolo Ferrario (Milan - on loan), Gianni Bui (Cirio - back from loan) and an unknown Uruguayan, Homero Guaglianone (Montevideo Wanderers). Not a lot to get excited about. The most important arrival came in the autumn and was Argentine Juan Carlos Morrone from Platense. The main player leaving was striker Humberto Tozzi (Palmeiras, after four years and 45 goals).
Things were not going well at all in the league. Lazio had played 26 games; winning 4 (including Roma 2-1), drawing 6 and losing 16. After ten games Bernardini was replaced by Enrique Flamini and from fixture 15 Jesse Carver arrived as technical director but things had not really improved. Lazio were bottom of the table on 14 points, six from safety (Lecco on 20). A desperate situation.
Today however was a different competition, the Coppa Italia. Lazio had made their debut in the last 16 defeating Como 4-0 at home on March 15. In the quarter-final they now faced the difficult prospect of a single-legged away game against Inter.
Inter had finished 4th in Serie A in 1959-60. The manager was first Aldo Campitelli (1-23) and then Camillo Achili. The Nerazzurri had drawn 1-1 at home with Lazio but won 2-0 in Rome. The top scorer was Eddie Firmani with 13 goals (12 in A).
This season Helenio Herrera was the manager. The most important new signings were goalkeeper Lorenzo Buffon (Genoa), defenders Costanzo Balleri (Torino - in winter market session), Giacinto Facchetti (up from youth team) and Armando Picchi (SPAL), midfielder Sandro Mazzola (up from youth team) and Franco Zaglio (Roma) plus forward Egidio Morbello (SPAL - in winter market session). Facchetti and Mazzola would go on to play 1224 games for Inter between them.
Leaving Inter were goalkeeper Enzo Matteucci (SPAL), defenders Amos Cardarelli (Lecco) and Vasco Tagliavini (Udinese), midfielders Giovanni Invernizzi (Torino, after 8 seasons in 3 different spells) and Arcadio Venturi (Brescia).
Inter were currently 3rd but until March 26 had been top. The Nerazzurri then lost four games in a row (including derby 1-2) and were overtaken by both Juventus and Milan.
In the Coppa Italia the Lombards had reached this clash by defeating Parma 3-1 away and Brescia 7-1 at home. With their league campaign fading the domestic cup was a potential route to silverware.
The Nerazzurri were strong favourites today and they had already defeated Lazio 7-0 at home in Serie A on March 5.
The match: Wednesday, April 5 1961, Stadio San Siro, Milan
A sunny day in Milan brought about 15,000 to San Siro for this weekday cup fixture.
Lazio were without midfielder Ugo Pozzan and also rested forward Orlando Rozzoni and played Maurilio Prini up front.
Inter played with reserve goalkeeper Mario Da Pozzo and without defenders Aristide Guarneri and Bruno Bolchi plus midfielder Bengt Lindskog.
Lazio's intentions were clear from the start as number 9 Prini placed himself at the edge of the Biancoceleste area.
In the 4th minute however Lazio scored with their first attempt. With Inter already piling forward, the Lazio defence cleared and the ball reached Juan Carlos Morrone who left defender Remo Bicchierai behind and approached Da Pozzo who he beat with a low and angled shot, 0-1.
Inter's reaction was strong but confused. Antonio Angelillo combined with Eddie Firmani but the Argentine's effort was just over the bar.
In the 16th minute Firmani headed high from an Armando Picchi free kick.
A few minutes later Mauro Bicicli was stopped by a raised linesman's flag but it looked like a wrong call.
The Nerazzurri then paused their assault until the 27th minute when Franco Pezzullo dived low to anticipate Firmani, set up by a good Franco Zaglio initiative.
In the 38th minute Angelillo tried his luck from the long range but was off target.
Lazio defended well and in the 43rd minute finally threatened again when Claudio Bizzarri went solo and forced Da Pozzo into a low save. Half time score: Inter 0 Lazio 1.
Almost one-way traffic but Inter lacked precision in the last third.
For the second half Lazio put on their main goalkeeper Idilio Cei, perhaps expecting even more pressure from the home side.
The pressure came with attempts by Firmani, Masiero, Angelillo and Zaglio but a combination of imprecision, good defending and Cei saves kept the Nerazzurri at bay.
Lazio defended deep but occasionally had chances on the break. In the 56th minute Bizzarri hit a venomous effort which Da Pozzo saved with some difficulty.
There followed a period of Inter pressure but in the 66th minute Da Pozzo had to be alert to come off his line to deny Morrone.
Lazio defended well and in the 73rd minute had a huge chance to close the tie. Bruno Franzini drilled a shot from about 20 metres out but it hit the post.
In the 79th minute Inter then had their biggest chance when, with Cei on the ground, Mario Corso pounced and hit what looked like a sure goal but Franco Carradori appeared out of nowhere and headed off the goal line.
Lazio then absorbed more Inter attacks and managed to bring home an unexpected but ultimately deserved qualification to the Coppa Italia semi-final.
An early goal, solid defence, quick counterattacks and an imprecise Inter meant the win could not really be disputed.
In the semi-final on May 10 Lazio would play Torino at home as the Granata had defeated Padova 0-1 away. The other semi-final would be Fiorentina vs Juventus.
Who played for Inter
Manager: Herrera
Who played for Lazio
Pezzullo (46' Cei), Molino, Eufemi, Carradori, Napoleoni, Carosi, Mariani, Franzini, Prini, Morrone, Bizzarri
Manager: Flamini
T.D: Carver
Referee: Angolese
Goal: 4' Morrone
What happened next
Lazio went down to Serie B. It was their first relegation. It was a disastrous season and Lazio ended up rock bottom on 18 points (11 from safety). In the last 8 games they won 1, drew 2 and lost 5 (including the last 4). The top scorer was Rozzoni again with 13 goals (11 in A).
Lazio would not be back in Serie A until the 1963-64 season.
In Coppa Italia, in the semi-final in May, Lazio then defeated Torino on penalties, after a 1-1 home draw (Franco Carradori scored the goal and five penalties out of six). In the final however, on June 11 in Florence, Lazio lost 0-2 to Fiorentina.
From June 25, for the Alps Cup, Paolo Todeschini took over as manager.
Inter finished 3rd on 44 points. In their remaining games they won 3 (including Roma 2-0 away), drew 3 and lost 2 (including Juventus 1-9 away). The top scorer was Eddie Firmani with 23 goals (16 in A).
An average year for Inter but better times were on the way (by 1966 they had won 3 more league titles, 2 consecutive European Cups and an Intercontinental Cup).
The Scudetto was won by Juventus for the 12th time. The other team going down with Lazio and Napoli was Bari who came out worse from a three-team playoff with Udinese and Lecco.
Let’s talk about Armando Picchi
Today in our opponents series we will talk about a legendary defender.
Armando Picchi was born in Leghorn (Livorno), on June 20, 1935.
His first clubs were local San Frediano and then Livorno.
In 1954 he joined Livorno's first team squad and stayed five seasons. The Amaranto were in Serie C but won the league and promotion to B but were relegated the following year and then finished 12th, 17th and 5th. Picchi played 105 games and scored 5 goals. His managers included Mario Magnozzi, Vinicio Viani, Ugo Conti and Ivo Fiorentini. His teammates included Lazio connections; Aldo Puccinelli (1940-43, 1945-55) and Antonio Renna (1964-66).
In 1959 he signed for SPAL in Serie A. He stayed one season under Fioravante Baldi (1-27) and then Serafino Montanari (28-34) and the Estensi finished a club record high 5th. The squad included future Lazio, Carlo Facchin (1971-72).
Picchi's impressive season earned him a move to Inter. He stayed with the Nerazzurri for seven seasons becoming a club legend. He played a total of 257 games with 2 goals. As captain he won the Scudetto three times, the European Cup twice and the Intercontinental Cup twice. The defensive trio with Picchi, Giacinto Facchetti and Aristide Guarneri became legendary. His manager was Helenio Herrera for the whole period. The squads included Lazio connections; Carlo Tagnin (1958-59), Carlo Soldo (1967-69), Rosario Di Vincenzo (1967-72), Mario Facco (1968-74), Ciccio Cordova (1976-79) and Luís Vinicio (manager 1976-78).
In 1967 he left Inter and joined Varese for two seasons in Serie A finishing 8th under Bruno Arcari and 14th (relegated). In his second season in April he also became player-manager as he had fractured his pelvis. He played 46 league games. His teammates included Lazio connection Paolo Ferrario (1960-61, 1961-62) and Antonio Renna again (1964-66).
He then retired at 34.
At international level he was less lucky and only won 12 caps for Italy and never played in a major tournament.
After retiring completely, he continued his coaching career. In 1969-70 during the season he took over as manager of his hometown club Livorno (he replaced Aldo Puccinelli). The Mullets then finished 8th. His players included Lazio connections Costantino Fava (1967-68, 1971), Giuseppe Lorenzetti (1967-69), Roberto Badiani (1974-79, 1981-83) and Scudetto winner Gigi Martini (1971-79).
In 1970-71 he became Juventus manager but in February had to step down due to illness and Čestmír Vycpálek took over (Zdeněk Zeman uncle). Picchi died on May 26, 1971 at 35 from spinal cancer.
Picchi was a defender. He is considered to have been one of the best in Italian football history. He started as a forward but at Livorno moved back to midfield and then to right full-back. At Inter he evolved into a superb "libero". He was a phenomenal tackler, physically strong, determined and quick. He was also a born leader and could read the game like few others. He was an amazing defender but some say this excellence made him go forward less and this may have limited his appearances with the Azzurri as the manager at the time, Edmondo Fabbri, considered him too defensive.
Given his characteristics he was expected to have a great managerial career ahead of him too.
Since 1990 the stadium in Livorno has been called the Stadio Armando Picchi. In 2022 he was inducted into the Italian Football Hall of Fame.
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