A fair draw
Avellino go ahead early on but Lazio react and earn a deserved point
Also on this day: January 13, 2013, Lazio Atalanta 2-0. Floccari finally breaks down Atalanta's defensive wall and puts Lazio within striking distance of leaders Juventus. Player of the day: Federico Marchetti
The season so far
Lazio had finished a respectable 8th the previous season, under Roberto "Bob" Lovati. Bruno Giordano had been top Serie A scorer with 19 league goals and 21 in total.
This year Lovati had kept his place. There were some changes to the squad. The main new signings were defender Filippo Citterio (Palermo), midfielders Maurizio Montesi (Avellino- back from loan), Vincenzo Zucchini (Pescara) and young forward Enrico Todesco (Como).
The players leaving were defenders Paolo Ammoniaci (Palermo), Pietro Ghedin (Pescara-on loan), Scudetto legend Gigi Martini (Chicago Sting), Andrea Agostinelli (Napoli-on loan), midfielders Roberto Badiani (Napoli-on loan), Franco Cordova (Avellino), Massimo De Stefanis (Palermo) and forward Aldo Cantarutti (Pisa).
On paper it looked as if Lazio had not come out strengthened by the transfer market, far from it.
So far, Lazio had played fifteen league games and won 4 (including Juventus 1-0 at home), drawn 7 (including derby 1-1) and lost 4. Lazio were on 15 points, in mid-table. Top scorer was Bruno Giordano with 10 goals (7 in A).
In August and September, the Biancocelesti got through the first Coppa Italia group phase against Matera 5-0, Brescia 2-0, Pistoiese 2-1 and Udinese 0-0. They then played at Torino away in November and drew 0-0 and the return game would be in Rome in three days time for a place in the semi-final.
Lazio’s season however had been marked by a terrible tragedy. On October 28 a Lazio fan, Vincenzo Paparelli, was killed inside the stadium before a local derby. A nautical flare was fired from the Roma end and, after having crossed the entire pitch, entered the Curva Nord tragically hitting 33-year-old, and father of two, Paparelli in the eye. He died on the way to hospital. I came into the Curva soon after the event and hearing of the incident and sensing the inevitably sombre, tense atmosphere my father decided to take my brother and I home. The game went ahead to avoid further crowd trouble and ended in a 1-1 of convenience. There is now a plaque in memory of poor Vincenzo Paparelli near the entrance to the Curva Nord.
These were the best years in Avellino's history. The previous year, in Serie A for the first time ever, the Biancoverdi had finished 10th under former Lazio player, Rino Marchesi. Avellino had beaten both Inter and Milan at home and drawn 3-3 away to Juventus. Top scorer was Gianluca De Ponti with 8 league goals.
This season Marchesi was still the manager. There had been a few comings and goings in the summer. Arriving were defender Sergio Giovannone (Taranto), midfielders Franco Cordova (Lazio), Lorenzo Ferrante (Bisceglie), Paolo Tuttino (Sampdoria) and Pellegrino Valente (Napoli) plus forwards, a young Andrea Carnevale (Latina), Claudio Pellegrini (Napoli-on loan) and his brother Stefano Pellegrini (Bari).
Leaving were defender Gian Filippo Reali (Atalanta- after 178 league games), Moreno Roggi (retiring), midfielders Pasquale Casale (Catania), Ezio Galasso (Vicenza-on loan), captain Adriano Lombardi (Como), Maurizio Montesi (Lazio-end of loan) plus forwards Giancarlo Tacchi (Genoa) and Ugo Tosetto (Monza).
So far, the Irpini had won 3 (including Napoli 1-0 away and Juventus 1-0 at home), drawn 9 (including Lazio 0-0 at home and Roma 1-1 away) and lost 3. The "Lupi" were on 15 points, the same as Lazio.
In Coppa Italia Avellino had been eliminated in August/September after winning one (Fiorentina 3-1 at home), drawing 2 (Verona 0-0 away and Ternana 0-0 at home) and losing one (Como 0-1 away).
Today's game was open to any result. Two teams on the same points, Lazio with home advantage but Avellino only a week earlier had drawn 1-1 at the Olimpico against Roma.
The match: Sunday, January 13, 1980, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
A cold, grey January afternoon in Rome with about 35,000 spectators in attendance.
Lazio were without defender Lionello Manfredonia, midfielder Aldo Nicoli and attacking winger Renzo Garlaschelli. They were replaced by Dario Pighin, Mauro Manzoni and young Enrico Todesco. For Avellino former Roma and Lazio midfielder Ciccio Cordova was missing.
In the last two matches Lazio had conceded a goal in the first minute and the 4th but today they did slightly better, not falling behind until the 6th. On a corner from the right the ball was missed in the air by a defender and it reached Stefano Pellegrini at the edge of the box, the Roma fan did not think twice and struck a shot which found Massimo Cacciatori too far off his line and flew over and in to his right. Lazio 0 Avellino 1.
Lazio reacted well and attacked constantly but the visitors were well organised defensively and even wasted a couple of opportunities on the break with Gianluca De Ponti and Claudio Pellegrini.
Lazio pushed but lacked lucidity when they reached the Irpini's area. A game changing moment could have come in the 26th minute. A Vincenzo D'Amico cross was clearly handled by Boscolo but the referee Casarin gestured to play on amidst furious Lazio protests.
Lazio were more dangerous down the left with a very active Citterio and Fernando Viola too was lively while Giordano seemed to still be affected by his recent hamstring injury. Half time Lazio 0 Avellino 1.
Lazio had pushed forward generously but without finding any openings in the Avellino bunker and were paying for their early defensive blunder.
The second half was pretty similar in pattern. Lazio had several shots but Ottorino Piotti was never forced to make any difficult saves. Citterio hammered a close-range volley over the bar, Viola fired wide with a left foot from outside the area and Giordano had a low left footed effort shave the post.
In the 73rd minute Avellino became even more buttoned up when they replaced the goal scorer Stefano Pellegrini with a defensive midfielder Lorenzo Ferrante.
Two minutes later, however, Lazio equalised. It took a great run by Giordano who beat his man inside the visitors half, burst down the right and into the area where he was tripped up by Salvatore Di Somma. This time Casarin pointed to the penalty spot. Giordano then took a thundering central spot kick which gave Piotti no chance. Lazio 1 Avellino 1.
A fairer score line which rewarded Lazio for their attacks albeit increasingly confused and individual. The result did not change again as both teams seemed reasonably pleased in the end with a point apiece.
Who played for Lazio
Substitutes: Avagliano, A. Lopez, Cenci
Manager: Lovati
Who played for Avellino
Piotti, Beruatto, Giovannone, Boscolo, Cattaneo, Di Somma, Piga, S. Pellegrini (73' Ferrante), C. Pellegrini, Valente, De Ponti
Substitutes: Stenta, Massa
Manager: Marchesi
Referee: Cesarin
Goals: 6' S. Pellegrini, 75' Giordano (pen)
What happened next
Lazio's season already tainted by the Paparelli tragedy then ended in a nightmare and relegation.
On the pitch things were not going too badly until disaster struck. By March Lazio were having an average season despite beating Juventus but then, on March 23, four Lazio players were arrested after a defeat at Pescara. The players were Giordano, Manfredonia, Pino Wilson and Cacciatori and they were accused of being involved in the "Totonero" (betting scandal). On the field Lazio managed to avoid relegation by one point thanks to Vincenzo D'Amico leading a team full of youth players to victory over Catanzaro but then Lazio were punished for their players' alleged involvement in the scandal and relegated anyway, along with Milan. Lazio won 5, drew 15 and lost 10.
Lazio-Avellino was one of the matches that was apparently supposed to be fixed by players from both teams in the Totonero scandal but the result was not what was expected. It is believed that this “wrong” result contributed to the outbreak of the scandal.
In Coppa Italia Lazio were eliminated in the quarters by Torino on penalties. Top scorer was Giordano with 12 goals (9 in A).
Giordano and Manfredonia would not play again until 1982 and only because of the World Cup winning armistice. Lazio would spend three years in the purgatory of Serie B and only get promoted in 1982-83 (with the help of Giordano and Manfredonia).
Avellino a week later beat Milan 1-0 at home. The Irpini finished 12th after 7 wins, 13 draws and 10 defeats. The Biancoverdi relaxed having reached safety and in the last eight games only earned two points. Top scorer was De Ponti with 6 league goals.
The alleged involvement of Avellino in the Totonero scandal resulted in a docking of 5 points for the 1980-81 season plus a 6-year suspension for Stefano Pellegrini and 14 months for Ciccio Cordova.
The Scudetto was won by Inter for the 12th time. The third club joining Lazio and Milan in Serie B was Pescara who finished rock bottom.
Lazio 1979-80
Competition | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals Scored |
Serie A | 30 | 5 | 15 | 10 | 21 |
Coppa Italia | 6 | 3 | 3 | - | 9 |
Total | 36 | 8 | 18 | 10 | 30 |
Top five appearances
Player | Total | Serie A | Coppa Italia |
Citterio | 36 | 30 | 6 |
D'Amico | 33 | 28 | 5 |
Viola | 33 | 28 | 5 |
Tassotti | 32 | 27 | 5 |
Zucchini | 30 | 25 | 5 |
Cacciatori | 30 | 24 | 6 |
Top goal scorers
Player | Total | Serie A | Coppa Italia |
Giordano | 12 | 9 | 3 |
D'Amico | 5 | 4 | 1 |
Garlaschelli | 5 | 2 | 3 |
Zucchini | 5 | 4 | 1 |
Let's talk about Enrico Todesco
Enrico Todesco was born in Milan, on May 2, 1960.
He took up football as a kid with local team Cusano Milanino before joining Como at 16.
He stayed with the Comaschi for three seasons. In 1976-77 Como were in Serie B and the manager was Osvaldo Bagnoli but Todesco played with the youth team.
In 1977-78 under three different managers; Gennaro Rambone (1-13), Luís Suarez (14-24) and Narciso Pezzotti (25-38) the Lariani were relegated. Todesco however made his debut and played 19 league games with 3 goals (Cremonese, Avellino, Palermo). One of his teammates was future star defender Pietro Vierchowod.
In 1978-79 Como won promotion back to Serie B (in 1st place) under Giuseppe Marchioro. Todesco played 8 league games. One of his teammates in attack was future Italy national player Aldo Serena.
In the summer of 1979, he signed for Lazio in Serie A. The manager was Bob Lovati but it was a terrible year for the Biancocelesti. In October a Lazio fan Vincenzo Paparelli was killed in the stadium before the derby by a nautical flare fired from the Roma end. Then in March four Lazio players were arrested for match fixing. Lazio narrowly avoided relegation on the pitch but not in the sports justice courts and were condemned to Serie B. Todesco played 9 league games and 2 in Coppa Italia.
In 1980-81 Todesco joined Genoa in Serie B. The Rossoblu, unlike Lazio, were promoted to Serie A. The manager was Gigi Simoni and Todesco played 30 league games with 2 goals (Sampdoria, Catania). His teammates included former Lazio Stefano Di Chiara and future Biancocelesti Silvano Martina and Giuseppe Corti.
In 1981-82 he joined Pisa in Serie B and again won promotion under Aldo Agroppi. Todesco played 21 games and scored 8 goals (Pescara, Catania, Bari, Sambenedettese, Pistoiese x2, Reggiana, Cremonese). His teammates included future Lazio, Alessandro Bertoni and Arturo Vianello.
He stayed in Pisa in Serie A in 1982-83. The manager was former Lazio Luís Vinicio and the Biancocelesti finished 11th. Todesco played 26 league games with 4 goals (Ascoli, Sampdoria, Roma, Torino) plus 7 games in Coppa Italia with 1 goal (Bologna).
In 1983-84 Todesco returned to Como in Serie B. He would stay another six seasons. In the first the Lariani won promotion under Tarcisio Burgnich and Todesco contributed with 8 goals in 37 league games (Empoli, Varese, Monza, Cesena, Cremonese, Cavese, Triestina) plus 1 goal (Lecce) in Coppa Italia in 5 appearances. One of his teammates was, future Lazio, Claudio Sclosa.
Over the next five seasons Como and Todesco played in Serie A. The Azzurri finished 11th, 9th, 9th, 11th and 18th (relegated). The managers were Ottavio Bianchi the first year, Roberto Clagluna and then Rino Marchesi in the second, Emiliano Mondonico in the third, Aldo Agroppi and then Tarcisio Burgnich in the fourth and finally Rino Marchesi and then Angelo Perini in the fifth. Todesco played 119 games in the top flight with 5 goals (Napoli, Avellino, Sampdoria, Fiorentina, Pescara).
Todesco then had an experience in Canada with the North York Rockets (Toronto, with Gregorz Lato as manager) for a season before playing two last seasons with Saronno in C2 and Interregionale (5th tier). He played 19 league games for the Amaretti.
He then retired at 32.
Todesco was a forward. He was not particularly physical but he based a lot of his game on his speed. He played 154 games in Serie A and scored 9 goals plus 21 goals in Serie B.
At Lazio he was unlucky to arrive in the Biancocelesti's "annus horribilis". He was supposed to be groomed as back up for Giordano and Garlaschelli but the year did not go as planned. In the end he made 9 appearances and moved on.
I personally saw him close up from the side lines of the pitch in an August summer friendly between Cerveteri and Lazio, played in the Etruscan Necropolis town just north of Rome. Todesco scored two goals and to my naive and young eyes he looked like a new Johan Cruyff. I was obviously wrong but he had a decent career, winning four promotions and playing oved 150 games in the top flight.
Lazio Career
Season | Total Appearances | Serie A | Coppa Italia |
1979-80 | 11 | 9 | 2 |
Sources