August 6, 2011: Lazio Universitatea Cluj 4-1
- Simon Basten
- Aug 6
- 6 min read
Emphatic Victory
Excellent game with goals from Hernanes, Klose, Brocchi and Del Nero
Also on this day: August 6, 1999: Cadiz Lazio 0-2. Lazio win thanks to Mihajlovic and Inzaghi. A very nervous match
The season so far
The 2010-11 season had been disappointing as Lazio failed to qualify for the Champions League playoff on goal difference, so, much to the surprise of fans and media, Claudio Lotito decided that it was time to cough up some money. There were many new arrivals: goalkeeper Federico Marchetti, right back Abdoulay Konko, midfielder Lorik Cana, defender Marius Stankevicius but, more importantly, left back Senad Lulic and the attacking duo Dijbril Cisse and Miroslav Klose. Saying farewell to Lazio were Fernando Muslera (Galatasaray) and Stephan Lichtsteiner (Juventus). Mourad Meghni ended his contract by mutual consent.
Lazio were in their second preseason training stint in Fiuggi following the usual couple of weeks at Auronzo di Cadore. They had already played quite a number of friendlies so far. They had beaten Lucerne and Reggina, lost against Osasuna and Villareal and drawn with Slavia Prague. Today was the turn of Romanians Universitatea Cluj.
The match: Saturday, August 6, 2011, Stadio Capo I Prati, Fiuggi
Edy Reja’s Lazio wrapped up their pre-season training camp in Fiuggi with an emphatic 4–1 victory over Romanian side Universitatea Cluj. The Biancocelesti had already faced Osasuna and Reggina during their stay in the spa town, and they ended preparations on a high note in front of more than two thousand spectators.
Lazio dominated from the start. Hernanes opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 38th minute (foul on Miro Klose), and Klose doubled the advantage with a fine finish in the 57th. The home side continued to create chances, with Mauro Zárate impressing with flashes of real class and creativity.
Cristian Brocchi then added a third in the 65th minute, finishing off a move set up by Klose. Reja then made several substitutions, one of which paid off almost immediately: Simone Del Nero, on for Giuseppe Sculli, made it 4–0 with a sharp left-footed strike in the 70th minute.
Cluj pulled one back six minutes from time, but Lazio nearly restored their four-goal cushion when Hernanes struck the crossbar with a superb free-kick.
With this convincing performance, Lazio concluded their pre-season friendlies in strong form ahead of the new campaign.
Who played for Lazio
Marchetti, Scaloni (73’ Cavanda), Biava, Stendardo, Radu, Brocchi, Matuzalem, Zarate (73’ Foggia), Hernanes, Sculli (73’ Del Nero), Klose (73’ Kozak)
Manager: Reja
Who played for Universitatea Cluj
Popa (63' Matache), Achim (66' Ungurusan), Szukala, Pele, Mendy, Menassel, Bostina, Pacurar (66' Marinescu), Cojonchean, Niculescu (66' Nwakaeme), Cristea
Substitutes: Bosneag, Szilagyi, Abrudan, Machado, Bazzi, Vojcan, Cucni, Balde, Grecu
Manager: Badea
Referee: Doveri
Goals: 38’ Hernanes (pen), 57’ Klose, 62’ Brocchi, 75’ Del Nero, 86’ Cojonchean
What happened next
At the end of the first half of the season Lazio were fifth. Champions League qualification, always the target, was five points away and held as usual by Udinese. The Biancocelesti were around fourth place for most of the winter (they were even second at one point) and slipped behind in the 19th fixture. They were in third place from February until three games to the end of the Campionato. On April 29, after losing at Udine, fatal yet again for Lazio’s objectives, they were caught up in third place by Napoli, Udinese and Inter. A draw at home against Siena the next game meant that it would have to be Europa League. It was really within their reach but too many faux pas to have that consistency necessary to reach third place. So, in the end it was fourth place that, due to Napoli winning the Coppa Italia, meant that Lazio would have to face a play off in the summer to reach the 2012-13 Europa League group stage.
Lazio miraculously managed to go through the knock stage of the Europa League only to be eliminated by a much stronger Atletico Madrid. In Coppa Italia after struggling to get past Verona in the fourth round they were eliminated by Milan in the quarterfinals.
Klose gave a good contribution to the cause with 15 goals (top scorer for the season, 12 goals in Serie A and 3 in Europa League), but Cisse struggled and was sold to QPR after only six months. To note that in the winter transfer window Lazio signed Antonio Candreva on loan for six months with an option to buy one half at the end of the season.
Ledesma was the player with most appearances in the season with 47 games overall: 37 in Serie A, 2 in Coppa Italia and 8 in Europa League.
Let’s talk about Cristian Brocchi
Cristian Brocchi was born on January 30, 1976, in Milan.
He started playing football in the youth teams of AC Milan and he debuted as a professional with Pro Sesto in Serie C1 where he was sent on loan. He stayed there for two years before being sent, again on loan, to Lumezzane in C1. In 1998 he signed for Verona, following a specific request from manager Cesare Prandelli. He did very well, so well that Verona were promoted to Serie B thanks to his contribution (32 appearances and 6 goals). Verona did very well in their next season in Serie A too, arriving ninth, one of the best years since winning the 1984-85 scudetto.
In the summer of 2000 Brocchi signed for Inter. It was not a good year and he was out for three months due to injury. For the rest of the season he started from the bench. The Nerazzurri were not happy with him and they sold him to Milan. In his second stint with the Rossoneri he stayed four years, not really playing that much (87 appearances with 4 goals) but he won a scudetto in 2003-04, a Coppa Italia and a Champions League in 2002-03, a UEFA Super Cup in 2003 and a Supercoppa in 2004.
Wanting to play more, in 2006-06 he was loaned to Fiorentina and he did, making 39 appearances with three goals. In Florence he was reunited with his old manager Prandelli. At the end of the season he returned to Milan. Despite the strong competition in two years he played 74 games, won another Champions League in 2006-07 and a FIFA Club World Cup in 2007.
In 2008 he signed for Lazio. With the Biancocelesti he made 130 appearances with three goals and won the Coppa Italia twice (2008-09 and 2012-13) and a Supercoppa in 2009.
He gave a good contribution to the cause and his experience was very important for the growth of the team and club. Unfortunately, his professional career was cut short due to a very nasty foul by Francelino Matuzalem on February 3 in Genoa-Lazio. Despite a successful operation he could not continue playing. He had already had a serious injury in a match against Juventus, so at 37 he called it a day. His final act however was glorious. Lazio had won the Coppa Italia beating Roma in the final. On June 6 2013 fans gathered on the Spanish Steps in Rome and Brocchi lifted the Cup for a wonderful photo shoot.
Brocchi has one cap for Italy. He played a friendly against Turkey on November 15, 2006.
Once he stopped playing, he became a manager. He started with the Milan youth teams and in 2016 took on the first team after Sinisa Mihajlovic was fired. He was manager for six games in Serie A and the final of Coppa Italia which Milan lost to Juventus.
In 2016 he was called to manage Brescia in Serie B. In the first half of the season the Rondinelle did very well but in the second half, after seven defeats in nine games, Brocchi was sacked and replaced by Gigi Cagni.
In 2017 he became assistant to Fabio Capello at Jiangsu Suning. He stayed a year, until Capello resigned.
In October Silvio Berlusconi and Adriano Galliani asked him to become manager at Monza in Serie C. After a fifth place in the first year, in his second Monza were promoted to Serie B. They then managed to reach the promotion playoffs but were eliminated by Cittadella in the semi-final.
In 2021 he was chosen as manager of Vicenza in place of Domenico Di Carlo. The Vicentini were last in Serie B and he was unable to set the sail straight and was sacked in April.
He was very much loved by the Lazio fans. One could always count on Brocchi. He was not Hernanes, but a solid, reliable player who could play on the wing and at midfield. And if Monza did so well in the 2022-23 season, it was also thanks to the foundations laid by Brocchi as manager.
Lazio Career
Sources
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