December 14, 2008: Udinese Lazio 3-3
- Lazio Stories
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Lazio Rise From the Dead in Udine
Biancocelesti battle back from 3–0 down to claim a dramatic 3–3 draw at the Friuli
The season so far
The previous season had been a disappointing one. Lazio had managed to reach the Champions League group stage but were predictably knocked out despite putting on brave performances. The team was not structured to play at such a high-level and as a consequence suffered the stress and fatigue that such a competition brings. President Claudio Lotito had not invested much for the campaign so the Biancocelesti struggled all year ending up 12th.
It looked like the President had learnt his lesson and in this year’s transfer window a lot of interesting players had arrived: goalkeeper Juan Pablo Carrizo, exciting forward Mauro Zarate, promising right back Stephan Lichtsteiner and experienced midfielder Francelino Matuzalem. Saying goodbye to Rome were Riccardo Bonetto, Gaby Mudingayi and Luciano Zauri.
Lazio started the season beating Benevento in Coppa Italia 5-1. They then beat Atalanta 1-0 and qualified for the Round of 16 where they won in Milan against the Rossoneri in extra time.
In Serie A Lazio were currently seventh with Atalanta. Not exactly the best start.
The match: Sunday, December 14, 2008, Stadio Friuli, Udine
Lazio pulled off a remarkable comeback in Udine, fighting back from three goals down to rescue a dramatic 3–3 draw. At the Stadio Friuli, Delio Rossi’s side produced a stirring reaction after weeks of mixed form, earning a second consecutive draw following their derby defeat to Roma on 16 November.
For more than an hour, Udinese looked entirely in control. Until the 60th minute, the home side seemed to be coasting, unaware of the Biancocelesti’s trademark resilience that would soon explode into life after a spell of almost chaotic disarray.
Rossi had gambled by deploying an experimental back line of Modibo Diakité and Emilson Cribari, with Manuel Belleri and Simone Del Nero—making his first league appearance in seven months—on the flanks. The risk backfired almost immediately. After just nine minutes, Fabio Quagliarella held up the ball with his back to goal and slipped in Antonio Di Natale, who drifted inside and lifted a delicate chip over the advancing Juan Pablo Carrizo. Once again, Lazio had conceded early.
Worse was to come. In the 15th minute, Lazio’s defence froze while appealing for an offside that never existed, allowing Di Natale to return the favour: a simple pass to Quagliarella, Carrizo rounded, and Udinese celebrated their second. Lazio were rattled, Udinese ruthless. Only Carrizo’s interventions prevented the match from being effectively over before the half-hour mark.
Up front, Lazio were non-existent. Udinese dropped deep and closed every avenue, depriving Tommaso Rocchi and Mauro Zarate of space and reducing them to frustrated spectators. Lazio’s only attempt came from Diakité, until the final moments of the first half when Cristian Ledesma’s long ball found Rocchi, whose header skimmed over the bar.
Rossi made sweeping changes at the break, abandoning his initial plan and reinstating his “heavy trident” attack by withdrawing Belleri and Del Nero for Mourad Meghni and Goran Pandev. But Lazio’s shape remained unsettled, and their carelessness was punished again on 55 minutes. Losing the ball in midfield, they were hit by a familiar sight: Di Natale racing away on the counter, skipping past Stefan Radu, testing Carrizo, collecting the rebound and rolling the ball in for Udinese’s third.
At 3–0, Udinese looked home and dry. But Lazio finally stirred. Meghni tried his luck from distance, then in the 60th minute Pandev powered through in the box; Samir Handanović’s save fell kindly to Zarate, who tapped in to spark faint hope.
Twelve minutes later, that hope grew. From a Zarate corner, Diakité rose highest and thundered home a header to make it 3–2. Pasquale Marino attempted to shore things up by introducing Christian Obodo, but Lazio had rediscovered their drive—and crucially, Pandev’s presence transformed their attack.
With Udinese increasingly nervous, Lazio pushed relentlessly. Their persistence paid off five minutes from time. Ledesma, finding space from distance, unleashed a strike that stunned the Friuli and drew the Biancocelesti level at 3–3.
What had looked like a humiliating defeat became one of Lazio’s most spirited comebacks of the season—a reminder of their enduring character and a warning to opponents who dare to think them beaten too soon.
Who played for Udinese
Handanovic, Sala, Coda, Domizzi, Motta, Inler, G.D'Agostino (87' Pasquale), Lukovic, Pepe (71' Obodo), Quagliarella (84' Floro Flores), Di Natale
Substitutes: Belardi, Nef, Asamoah, Sanchez
Manager: Marino
Who played for Lazio
Carrizo, Belleri (46’ Meghni), Cribari, Diakité, Radu, Lichtsteiner, Dabo (80’ Foggia), Ledesma, Del Nero (46’ Pandev), Rocchi, Zarate
Substitutes: Muslera, Rozehnal, Firmani, Manfredini
Manager: D.Rossi
Referee: Rosetti
Goals: 9’ Di Natale, 15’ Quagliarella, 55’ DI Natale, 60’ Zarate, 72’ Diakité, 85’ Ledesma
What happened next
In campionato it was not a good year. Lazio went top after six games but then fell back. However, after the first part of the season they were only four points from the holy fourth place which allowed a Champions League qualification, but then they collapsed and won only 4 games in the second half of the year. They nevertheless did manage to beat Roma 4-2.
But there was glory in Coppa Italia.
In the quarter finals against Torino the Biancocelesti fell behind in the first half, but came back in the second and scored three goals (again Pandev plus Stefano Mauri and Tommaso Rocchi).
In the semi-final Lazio had to play against Juventus, this time over two games. In the first at the Olimpico, Juventus were the obvious favourites and went one up in the first half. But the Biancocelesti put up a good fight and created a number of unexpected headaches for the Bianconeri. Pandev equalised and Rocchi gave Lazio the advantage for the return match in Turin. In the return leg Juventus came into the match not fully focused and Lazio took advantage, scoring with Zarate first and Aleksandar Kolarov in the second half. At that point the contest was over. Juventus would have had to score four goals. They managed one.
Lazio were in the final. They faced Sampdoria who, after beating Inter 3-0 at home, in the return match managed to keep the Nerazzurri's onslaught to a minimum and only lost 1-0.
The final was played at the Olimpico in front of a capacity crowd and in the presence of Italian President Giorgio Napolitano. Zarate gave Lazio the lead early on but Giampaolo Pazzini equalised on the half hour. There were chances for both teams, but the game ended 1-1. The result did not change in extra time, so the 2008-09 Coppa Italia was to be decided on a penalty shootout.
Muslera saved the first penalty and it looked as if Lazio had won it. But Rocchi hit the woodwork with the second and the teams were still level after the first five. After Muslera saved Hugo Campagnaro’s spot kick, Ousmane Dabo then gave Lazio their fifth Coppa Italia and a European Cup qualification for the 2009-10 season.
A magnificent victory and the first silverware for President Lotito.
Let’s talk about Modibo Diakité
Modibo Diakité was born in Bourg-la-Reine, France, on March 2, 1987. He is French of Malian parents.
He arrived in Italy at a young age brought by Sampdoria's youth sector. He then played for Pescara "Primavera" (U19s) and made his debut for the "Abruzzesi" on May 13, 2006 in a Serie B game against Catania. It would be his only match for the "Delfini" (The Dolphins).
In the summer of 2006, he was signed by Lazio for 300,000 Euros. He at first joined the Primavera team but soon went up to the first team. He made his debut under Delio Rossi and played 3 league games.
In 2007-08 he was also a reserve and played 1 game in Serie A. It was in 2008-09 that he started getting some playing time. He played 9 league games with 1 goal (Udinese) and 2 in Coppa Italia (which Lazio won).
On August 8, 2009, in Beijing, he played the whole game in Lazio's 2-1 Supercoppa triumph over Inter. He then played 19 league games, 2 in Coppa Italia and 6 in the Europa League, first under Davide Ballardini and then Edy Reja. The January signings of André Dias and Giuseppe Biava limited his games in the second part of the season.
The following year, again with Reja as manager, he made 8 league appearances and 2 in Coppa Italia.
The 2011-12 season was his best with the Biancocelesti. He played 25 league games with 1 goal (winner against Cagliari), 2 in Coppa Italia and 9 in the Europa League. Lazio came 4th in Serie A and won both derbies.
In 2012 Lazio changed manager and replaced Reja with Vladimir Petkovic. The Bosnian relied mainly on André Dias, Giuseppe Biava and then Lorik Cana and new arrival Michael Ciani so Diakité fell behind in the pecking order and was put out of the squad. He would play only 1 game in Coppa Italia but as they say every little bit helps and Lazio went on to lift the cup beating Roma 1-0 with a Lulic goal on the unforgettable 26th of May.
In the summer of 2013 he moved to the Premier League in England and signed for Sunderland. His adventure with the Black Cats only lasted until January. He played 7 league games and 1 cup game before heading back to Italy.
In the winter market session of 2014, he joined Fiorentina on loan. In Florence with "La Viola" he played 9 Serie A games and 2 in Coppa Italia. Under Vincenzo Montella the "Gigliati" had a good season arriving 4th and were losing finalists in the Coppa Italia.
He then spent 4 months in Spain with Deportivo La Coruña but only played 3 times and then 4 months with Cagliari in Serie A, where he played 9 games.
In the summer of 2015 he joined Frosinone, near Rome, in Serie A. He played 18 league games with 1 goal (Genoa) and 1 game in Coppa Italia but in February was on the move again and the "Ciocari" eventually got relegated.
Diakite however was already at Sampdoria where he played 8 league games in a second spell in Liguria.
In January 2017 he signed for Ternana in Serie B. He played 15 games with 1 goal but in October moved to Bari as a free agent. The "Galletti" (Cockerels) however were in deep financial trouble and were excluded from Italian football (they are now back in Serie B) so Diakité went back to Umbria and Ternana playing another 36 times with 2 goals for the Rossoverdi.
In 2022 he came back to the capital and joined Roma City, a newly formed club, in Serie D. He then played for other minor Rome based clubs.
Diakité is a physically strong player (personally I always thought he would have made a good rugby union player). At 1.93 he is a powerful centre-back but he can also play at right full-back. He is obviously good in the air and is known for his ball-winning abilities. He is not particularly technical and although he did improve it was not enough to establish himself as a regular at top level football.
At Lazio he had only one season where he played regularly and, in the others, he was usually a second choice. He was popular at Lazio, for his sheer size, name, cartoon like face and for his crazy solo attacks when he would suddenly surge forward taking on the entire opposition, "è partito Modibo" (Modibo's off) was often heard at the Olimpico. "Partire" in Italian means leave but also to lose it, as in go crazy… Modibo's excursions were a bit of both.
He won silverware at Lazio, two Italian Cups (2009, 2013) and an Italian Supercup (2009). He played 90 games for the Biancocelesti and scored 2 goals.
Lazio career
Season | Total games (goals) | Serie A | Coppa Italia | Europa League | Super Coppa |
2006-07 | 3 | 3 | - | - | - |
2007-08 | 1 | 1 | - | - | - |
2008-09 | 11 (1) | 9 (1) | 2 | - | - |
2009-10 | 28 | 19 | 2 | 6 | 1 |
2010-11 | 10 | 8 | 2 | - | - |
2011-12 | 36 (1) | 25 (1) | 2 | 9 | - |
2012-13 | 1 | - | 1 | - | - |
Total | 90 (2) | 65 (2) | 9 | 15 | 1 |
Sources
Lazio Wiki
Lazio Stories